That’s one more reason to be skeptical of websites, magazines, and brochures with ads for products that claim to treat cancer, and to decide on treatments with your health professional. Even two people with the same diagnosis may need different treatments. All cancers are different, and no one treatment works for every cancer or every body. The truth is that no single device, remedy, or treatment can treat all types of cancer. What’s more, stopping or delaying proven treatment can have serious consequences. In fact, a product that is labeled “natural” can be more than ineffective: it can be downright harmful. But “natural” doesn’t mean either safe or effective, especially when it comes to using these products for cancer. They promote unproven - and potentially dangerous - substances like black salve, essiac tea, or laetrile with claims that the products are both “natural” and effective. Scammers take advantage of the feelings that can accompany a diagnosis of cancer. If you or someone you love has cancer, you may be curious about supposed “miracle” cancer-fighting products - like pills, powders, and herbs - that you’ve seen advertised or heard about from family and friends.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say it's important to learn how to evaluate health claims, especially if you have a serious condition. Health fraudsters often target people who are overweight, have serious conditions like cancer, or conditions without a cure, like: Many unapproved treatments are expensive, too, and rarely covered by health insurance. Fraudulently marketed health products can have dangerous interactions with medicines people are already taking, and can keep them from getting a proper diagnosis and treatment from their own health care professional. Instead, people who buy them are cheated out of their money, their time, and even their health. It promises quick cures and easy solutions for a variety of problems, from obesity and arthritis to cancer and AIDS. People spend billions of dollars a year on fraudulently marketed health-related products and treatments that not only are unproven and often useless, but sometimes also are dangerous. You’ve seen miracle claims for products related to health.