Cancer quackery on sale at Amazon.co.uk

Selling and advertising unlicensed cancer cures is illegal, dangerous and cynically exploits the vulnerable. And while it doesn’t surprise me that there are dubious alternative health websites marketing such products, to find them on sale through Amazon is unexpected and worrying.

The following products are all currently available* from Amazon.co.uk, sold by third parties. The Blood Purifier is even “fulfilled by Amazon”, meaning the product is picked, packed and shipped by Amazon from one of their warehouses.

Totnes Cancer Conference: shaping up for a shambles

If the March Totnes Cancer Care Conference was a farce, then the November one looks set to be a shambles.

Keen to avoid the problems that blighted the last conference, organiser Dr Stephen Hopwood has been careful to point out that the conference will not discuss treating people for cancer, but treating people with cancer. This seems to me to be a blatant and cynical way of sidestepping the Cancer Act.

Who can I complain to about Errol Denton?

Someone out there has been pondering this very question.

The following were all typed into Google yesterday and all found my blog:

suing errol denton
suing quack doctors in uk
live blood analysis london
errol denton
errol denton who can i complain to
errol denton complaints

I have plenty of suggestions for who you can complain to.

But first, for the benefit of newcomers, I will explain a little bit about Errol.

Is Arthroplex one of the worst herbal scams ever?

UPDATE 20/06/12 Forty-nine people reported this ad to the ASA, who upheld our complaints today. It seems some of the complaints concerned an earlier edition of the leaflet – some of the quotes on the adjudication differ from my leaflet (for example, the misspelling of ‘arthritis’ as ‘arthritus’).

UPDATE 12/07/12 Press release: MHRA warns arthritis sufferers about buying unlicensed arthritis treatment
_____________________________________________________

Arthroplex leaflets, featuring a veritable smörgåsbord of misleading and unsubstantiated miracle health claims are still being slotted into various publications.

The product is unlicensed, unauthorised and often fails to arrive. It also appears to be specifically aimed at elderly and retired people suffering from chronic, painful health conditions.

Arthroplex: instant relief for the wallet

UPDATE 20/06/12 Forty-nine people reported this ad to the ASA, who upheld our complaints today. It seems some of the complaints concerned an earlier edition of the leaflet – some of the quotes on the adjudication differ from my leaflet (for example, the misspelling of ‘arthritis’ as ‘arthritus’).

Lots of people have been in touch to tell me where they have seen the ads. I have been in touch with the magazines concerned and included their responses here.

UPDATE 12/07/12 Press release: MHRA warns arthritis sufferers about buying unlicensed arthritis treatment
_____________________________________________________

You may have seen these pictures somewhere before. They featured in a recent magazine insert and have already been emailed to Ben Goldacre by an orthopaedic surgeon, who was

not currently aware of any oral medication that can reverse crippling deformity of severe hallux valgus to a normal foot in 61 days

I have one of the inserts on my desk as I type. The product in question is ‘Doctor’s Arthroplex®‘ – an apparently revolutionary, yet unlicensed product available in capsule and gel form and claimed to be recommended by health professionals. Such inserts have recently been slotted between the pages of My Weekly, the Caravan Club magazine, Saga Magazine and Sporting Shooter.

Should you wish to say ‘no more!’ to joint pain, you are advised to order online (here), ring the Sales Team on 0845 658 5010 or send credit card details or cheque to an address in the Netherlands (Arthroplex. Eurowide Fulfilment, IBRS/CCRI, Numero 13011, Breda, 4800 VE, Netherlands).

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the product will arrive.