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Consumer Health Digest, Issue #24-12

Sham health insurance seller Benefytt Technologies must refund $100 million. Investigation spotlights misleading videos discouraging hormonal contraception. Doctor in Australia banned from offering naturopathic cancer treatments. Sham health insurance seller Benefytt Technologies must refund $100 million. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that Benefytt Technologies has agreed to a settlement that: (a) requires the company to pay $100 million that will provide refunds to 463,629 consumers; and (b) prohibits the company from lying about its products or charging illegal junk fees. Separate orders permanently banned Benefytt’s former CEO (Gavin D. Southwell) and a former vice president of sales (Amy E. Brady) from selling or marketing any healthcare-related product. The former vice president was also banned from telemarketing. [FTC sends nearly $100 million in refunds …

  • Sham health insurance seller Benefytt Technologies must refund $100 million.
  • Investigation spotlights misleading videos discouraging hormonal contraception.
  • Doctor in Australia banned from offering naturopathic cancer treatments.

Sham health insurance seller Benefytt Technologies must refund $100 million. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that Benefytt Technologies has agreed to a settlement that: (a) requires the company to pay $100 million that will provide refunds to 463,629 consumers; and (b) prohibits the company from lying about its products or charging illegal junk fees. Separate orders permanently banned Benefytt’s former CEO (Gavin D. Southwell) and a former vice president of sales (Amy E. Brady) from selling or marketing any healthcare-related product. The former vice president was also banned from telemarketing. [FTC sends nearly $100 million in refunds to consumers harmed by Benefytt Technologies’ sham health plans. FTC press release, March 18, 2024]

According to the FTC’s August 2022 complaint:

  • Benefytt and its third-party partners operated a series of deceptive websites that targeted consumers who were searching for comprehensive health insurance plans that qualified under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
  • Sales agents pitched Benefytt’s sham plans even though they were not ACA-qualified health plans and lacked key elements.
  • Consumers were led to believe they were buying comprehensive health insurance and were then charged hundreds of dollars per month for Benefytt products and services that often left them unprotected.

Investigation spotlights misleading videos discouraging hormonal contraception. According to a report by The Washington Post, popular videos on TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms targeting teens and young adults are vilifying hormonal contraception, including birth control pills and intrauterine devices, and often spreading misinformation. [Weber L, Malhi S. Women are getting off birth control amid misinformation explosion. The Washington Post, March 21, 2024] Examples include:

  • A video by Nicole Bendayan, 29, about how she got off birth control and became a “cycle-syncing nutritionist” who teaches women how to live “in tune” with their menstrual cycles, has been viewed 10.5 million times. Bendayan, while not a licensed medical specialist, has more than one million combined followers on Instagram and TikTok for her holistic-health coaching business. She claims birth control depletes various vitamin and mineral levels. According to the report, she charges hundreds of dollars for a three-month virtual program that includes analyses of blood panels for what she calls hormonal imbalances. Like some other social media influencers, she promotes unproven hormone balancing regimes. Following an inquiry by The Washington Post, TikTok removed at least five videos linking birth control to mental health issues and other problems, including one in which Bendayan falsely claimed certain forms of birth control could make users more susceptible to sexually transmitted infections.
  • A video in which Brett Cooper, a media commentator for the conservative Daily Wire, argued falsely that birth control can impact fertility, cause women to gain weight, and even alter their perception of who they find attractive. The video received more than 200,000 likes but TikTok removed it following The Washington Post’s inquiry.

The Washington Post report notes that few data are available about the extent of the birth control misinformation problem. It also discusses a journal article published last year by Duke University Medical Center researchers who identified the top 100 videos on TikTok tagged #IUD. Fifty-three of the videos presented scientific claims in English. Of those, 51% were rated highly accurate, 19% were moderately accurate, 19% moderately inaccurate, and 6% highly inaccurate. [Wu J, and others. TikTok, #IUD, and user experience with intrauterine devices reported on social media. Obstetrics & Gynecology 141:215-217, 2023]

Another Post article discusses: (a) the more than 99% effectiveness of long-acting reversible contraceptives (Nexplanon implant and IUDs); (b) side effects of birth control pills and IUDs; (c) the effectiveness of fertility awareness-based methods (natural family planning); (d) the lack of evidence of a definitive link between birth control pills and weight gain; (e) the rarity of negative mood changes for women taking oral contraceptives; and (f) the lack of evidence birth control causes personality changes or has an impact on your perception of who you find attractive. [Malhi S, Weber L. Debunking common birth-control misconceptions. The Washington Post, March 21, 2024]


Doctor in Australia banned from offering naturopathic cancer treatments. South Australia’s Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner has imposed an interim prohibition order (IPO) prohibiting Dr. Karl “Horst” Poehlmann of Barossa Naturopaths at Angaston from:

  • “providing health services, namely naturopathy” to treat cancer and cancer-related symptoms
  • “offering, advertising, or otherwise promoting” naturopathy as a cancer treatment option

The IPO will last up to 12 weeks but could be renewed if investigations continue. The commissioner said the action was in response to “allegations about the provision of an inappropriate diet plan and ozone therapy.” Dr. Poehlmann is not among the listed health practitioners on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency website.

The Barossa Naturopaths website stated that Poehlmann:

  • “graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Erlangen” in Germany
  • had a PhD in “radiation treatments in cancer”
  • was proficient in “numerous healing modalities like acupuncture, chiropractics [sic], neural therapy, homoeopathy, resonance treatment . . . and so many others that it makes no sense to try and list them all”
  • was over 80 and still working

Poehlmann told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he had retired and the claims against him related to information he had provided to a friend. [Naturopath banned from promoting service as cancer treatment after health complaint. ABC News (Australia), March 20, 2024]


Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.



Consumer Health Digest Archive (2024)

Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here. Issue #24-12, March 24, 2024 Sham health insurance seller Benefytt Technologies must refund $100 million Investigation spotlights misleading videos discouraging hormonal contraception Doctor in Australia banned from offering naturopathic treatments Issue #24-11, March 17, 2024 Shocking report highlights deficiencies of …

Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.


Issue #24-12, March 24, 2024

  • Sham health insurance seller Benefytt Technologies must refund $100 million
  • Investigation spotlights misleading videos discouraging hormonal contraception
  • Doctor in Australia banned from offering naturopathic treatments

Issue #24-11, March 17, 2024

  • Shocking report highlights deficiencies of U.S. state medical boards
  • Marketer of Nature’s Bounty and Sundown supplements ordered to pay back consumers
  • Patanjali Ayurved advertising temporarily banned in India
  • Ice bathing offers evidence of harm but not benefit
  • JAMA offers concise patient guide to injectable weight-loss medications

Issue #24-10, March 10, 2024

  • Doctor who performed fatal Brazilian butt lift sued for misrepresenting his qualifications
  • Researchers highlight deaths of U.S. citizens undergoing cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic
  • AMA spotlights differences in training between physicians and naturopaths

Issue #24-09, March 3, 2024

  • Multilevel marketing companies commonly misrepresent distributor earnings
  • Dubious canine cancer-drug marketer receives 97-month prison sentence
  • Polish Health Ministry responds to advocates of dubious Lyme disease care
  • “Leaky gut syndrome” not medically recognized

Issue #24-08, February 25, 2024

  • Galantamine supplements found to be inaccurately labeled
  • NewsGuard identifies over 300 false vaccine-related internet narratives
  • Promoting COVID-19 misinformation found to be lucrative for four nonprofits

Issue #24-07, February 18, 2024

  • Sham insurance sellers face $195 million judgment and permanent marketing ban
  • Physician assistant convicted of amniotic-fluid fraud
  • COVID Resist marketers ordered to stop deceptive advertising
  • TINA.org questions Talkiatry’s advertised patient cost

Issue #24-06, February 11, 2024

  • Publisher retracts abortion pill studies
  • Naprapathy scrutinized
  • Obesity researcher discourages dietary supplementation for weight loss
  • Neptune’s Fix recalling tianeptine products

Issue #23-05, February 4, 2024

  • Leader of America’s Frontline Doctors reprimanded for Jan. 6 participation
  • Ontario Tribunal revokes misinformation-promoting physician’s registration
  • NZ radiologist will be penalized for peddling COVID-19 misinformation
  • GAO criticizes prenatal supplements
  • AP spotlights Medbed nonsense promoted to conspiracy believers

Issue #24-04, January 29, 2024

  • Early estimates of in-hospital deaths related to hydroxychloroquine treatment for COVID-19 now available.
  • Most direct-to-consumer medical tests advertised online found not useful
  • Funeral homes warned for failing to provide accurate pricing information
  • Mindfulness meditation appears to show little benefit
  • Online undergraduate health course promotes rational skepticism

Issue #24-03, January 22, 2024

  • Midwife faces unprecedented fine for substituting homeopathic pellets for children’s vaccines.
  • Retraction Watch highlights new tactics being used to publish fake scientific papers.
  • FDA authorizes Florida to initiate process for importing certain drugs from Canada.

Issue #24-02, January 14, 2024

  • Restrictions placed on medical license of egregious promoter of COVID-19 disinformation
  • Researchers warn of hazards of inadequately regulated dietary supplements
  • FDA warns about complications of unapproved fat-dissolving injections

Issue #24-01, January 7, 2024

  • Experts refute Florida Surgeon General’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine alarmism
  • Skeptical Inquirer scrutinizes evidence for brain-training interventions
  • FDA identifies toxic, misbranded tejocote-root supplements
  • FDA warns about tainted arthritis and pain products
  • Physiologist comments on health fads promoted during the holidays

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Consumer Health Digest: Index of COVID-19 News Briefs

Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D. It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; news reports; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. This page indexes our information about COVID-19. They are arranged by topics with the most recent briefs first. To subscribe to Consumer Health Digest, click here. Chiropractors Anti-COVID-vaccine chiropractors in Kansas spotlighted (10/17/21) Vaccination alarmism by chiropractors spotlighted (10/10/21) School district stops accepting mask opt-out forms signed by chiropractors (9/5/21) Georgia chiropractors discouraging COVID-19 vaccination (5/23/21) Misinformation by chiropractors about COVID-19 scrutinized (11/22/20) …

Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D. It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; news reports; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. This page indexes our information about COVID-19. They are arranged by topics with the most recent briefs first. To subscribe to Consumer Health Digest, click here.


Chiropractors

Civil and Criminal Actions

Consumer Behavior

Consumer Protection

Consumer Resources

Court Decisions and Orders

Dietary Supplements

Drugs (Questionable)

Homeopathy

Hucksters

Licensing Board Actions

“Miracle Mineral Solution”

Misinformation

Naturopaths

Silver Products

Warnings to Marketers



Consumer Health Digest, Issue #24-11

Shocking report highlights deficiencies of U.S. state medical boards. Marketer of Nature’s Bounty and Sundown supplements ordered to pay back consumers. Patanjali Ayurved advertising temporarily banned in India. Ice bathing offers evidence of harm but not benefit. JAMA offers concise patient guide to injectable weight-loss medications. Shocking report highlights deficiencies of U.S. state medical boards. In a 23-minute video, comedian John Oliver provides a humorous but shocking report on the failure of state medical boards to adequately protect consumers from physicians providing substandard care. He notes according to one study of nearly 900 physicians nationwide who’ve been judged by their peers to be an immediate threat to health or safety, “only 52.1% had ever had any licensure action taken against them.” The contributing factors include: …

  • Shocking report highlights deficiencies of U.S. state medical boards.
  • Marketer of Nature’s Bounty and Sundown supplements ordered to pay back consumers.
  • Patanjali Ayurved advertising temporarily banned in India.
  • Ice bathing offers evidence of harm but not benefit.
  • JAMA offers concise patient guide to injectable weight-loss medications.

Shocking report highlights deficiencies of U.S. state medical boards. In a 23-minute video, comedian John Oliver provides a humorous but shocking report on the failure of state medical boards to adequately protect consumers from physicians providing substandard care. He notes according to one study of nearly 900 physicians nationwide who’ve been judged by their peers to be an immediate threat to health or safety, “only 52.1% had ever had any licensure action taken against them.” The contributing factors include: (a) lack of funding; (b) understaffing; (c) slow board deliberations; (d) the reticence of physicians to harshly discipline other physicians; (e) a lack of public representation on boards; (f) overreliance on physicians to self-report their own records of disciplinary actions in other states; and (g) failure of boards to check the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) for disciplinary actions against physicians by hospitals. Remarkably, hospitals underreport disciplinary actions to the NPDB, and patients do not have access to it. Moreover, it remains too difficult for consumers to find complete information about physicians on poorly designed and confusing board websites. [State Medical Boards: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. HBO, March 14, 2024]


Marketer of Nature’s Bounty and Sundown supplements ordered to pay back consumers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sending more than $527,000 in refunds to 32,689 consumers who bought certain Nature’s Bounty and Sundown products from Amazon.com. The order settling the FTC’s allegations of deceptive marketing by The Bountiful Company required the company to pay monetary relief and prohibits it from engaging in deceptive review tactics. According to the FTC’s February 2023 complaint, Bountiful abused features on Amazon.com to mislead consumers into thinking its newly introduced supplements had more product ratings and reviews, higher average ratings, and “#1 Best Seller” and “Amazon’s Choice” badges. The FTC’s action against Bountiful was the agency’s first challenge to “review hijacking,” a deceptive practice in which a marketer steals the reviews of another product to boost sales. [FTC sends more than $527,000 in refunds to Bountiful consumers deceived by “review hijacking” on Amazon.com. FTC press release, March 14, 2024]


Patanjali Ayurved advertising temporarily banned in India. The Supreme Court of India has temporarily banned Patanjali Ayurved, one of India’s biggest manufacturers of traditional ayurvedic medicines, from advertising its products. [Khandekar O. Indian judge says billion-dollar ayurvedic company has taken the public ‘for a ride.’ NPR, March 14, 2024] The Indian Medical Association had brought the case to court in August 2022, alleging:

  • Patanjali and its brand ambassador, Baba Ramdev, a yoga guru, made a series of false claims against evidence-backed modern medicine and its practitioners,calling modern medicine a “stupid and bankrupt science,” and spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
  • in July 2022, Patanjali was in violation of India’s Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act with a series of newspaper advertisements claiming ayurvedic products could cure chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases and autoimmune conditions

Patanjali has received multiple notices and warnings from regulatory agencies and advertising watchdogs. A court order in November 2023 forbade the company from issuing advertisements with misleading claims. The next day, Ramdev held a press conference about remedies for high blood pressure referring to “lies spread by allopathy,” a reference to science-based medicine, according to the lawyer for the Indian Medical Association.

Critics have alleged the company’s defiance of court orders is related to its proximity to India’s ruling party, the BJP. Ramdev is a vocal supporter of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who glorifies Hindu traditions. Modi inaugurated Patanjali’s ayurvedic research facility in 2017. That year, a Reuters investigation found Patanjali had received an estimated $46 million in discounts for land acquisitions in states controlled by the BJP. In 2020, Harsh Vardan, India’s health minister at the time, participated in the company’s launch of COVID-19 pills, where Ramdev claimed the pills showed “100 percent favorable results” during clinical trials on patients. Despite the Indian Medical Association’s refutations, Pantjali said in just six months it sold 2.5 million kits consisting of the tablets to ward off COVID-19, and bottled oils alleged to boost immunity.


Ice bathing offers evidence of harm but not benefit. In an article in Skeptical Inquirer, exercise physiologist Nick Tiller, MRes., PhD, has reported:

  • Evidence is weak, at best, to support claims that “ice bathing improves alertness and concentration” and that “the cold ‘activates’ the metabolism and strengthens the body’s immune response.”
  • Regular immersion in cold water markedly inhibits recovery from strenuous exercise.
  • A recent meta-analysis showed “cold-water immersion blunted exercise-related strength gains.”
  • Another recent meta-analysis showed that “ice bathing immediately after weight training inhibited muscle growth.”
  • Another paper concluded: “Individuals who use strength training to improve athletic performance, recover from injury or maintain their health should reconsider whether to use cold water immersion as an adjuvant to their training.”

[Tiller N. Why are we still ice bathing? Skeptical Inquirer, Feb 26, 2024]


JAMA offers concise patient guide to injectable weight-loss medications. A recent JAMA Internal Medicine Patient Page focuses on injectable weight-loss medications approved for people with obesity who have been unable to reach their weight loss-goals through diet and exercise. [Kraftson A, Griauzde D. What should I know about injectable weight-loss medications? JAMA Internal Medicine, March 11, 2024] It describes how medications such as liraglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide are used and their benefits, side effects, and risks. It also notes these drugs are expensive and may not be fully covered by insurance.


Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.




Consumer Health Digest, Issue #24-10

Doctor who performed fatal Brazilian butt lift sued for misrepresenting his qualifications. Researchers highlight deaths of U.S. citizens undergoing cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic. AMA spotlights differences in training between physicians and naturopaths. Doctor who performed fatal Brazilian butt lift sued for misrepresenting his qualifications. The family of Erica Russell, a 33-year-old mother of five from Tennessee, has sued Seduction Cosmetic Center Corp. and John Sampson, M.D., alleging: Russell traveled to Seduction’s facility in Coral Gables, Florida, in June 2021 to undergo a Brazilian butt lift, a cosmetic procedure in which liposuction is used to remove fat from the patient’s stomach, hips, lower back or thighs, and is then injected into the patient’s buttock area. During the procedure, Sampson punctured her liver, bladder and …

  • Doctor who performed fatal Brazilian butt lift sued for misrepresenting his qualifications.
  • Researchers highlight deaths of U.S. citizens undergoing cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic.
  • AMA spotlights differences in training between physicians and naturopaths.

Doctor who performed fatal Brazilian butt lift sued for misrepresenting his qualifications. The family of Erica Russell, a 33-year-old mother of five from Tennessee, has sued Seduction Cosmetic Center Corp. and John Sampson, M.D., alleging:

  • Russell traveled to Seduction’s facility in Coral Gables, Florida, in June 2021 to undergo a Brazilian butt lift, a cosmetic procedure in which liposuction is used to remove fat from the patient’s stomach, hips, lower back or thighs, and is then injected into the patient’s buttock area.
  • During the procedure, Sampson punctured her liver, bladder and intestines with a cannula, a tube primarily used for removing fluid from the body.
  • Russell went into cardiac arrest and died about two hours after the procedure began. Her cause of death was determined to be pulmonary fat emboli and bleeding due to liposuction and bilateral gluteal augmentation surgery.
  • Sampson was not allowed to perform surgical procedures at the facility, but Seduction provided Russell with falsified paperwork stating he “had plastic and cosmetic privileges” at a local hospital when he did not.
  • Seduction falsely marketed Sampson as “a surgeon performing surgery at its facility.”
  • In May 2020, Seduction submitted an application to the Florida Health Department listing Sampson not as a surgeon but as its “designated physician” with responsibilities to ensure the facility was complying with all applicable health and safety standards and requirements.
  • In June 2020, Sampson provided the Health Department with a letter specifying he “does not perform surgical procedures at Seduction’s facility” in Coral Gables.
  • Sampson was not approved to perform surgical procedures at Seduction. Despite that, between April 2021 and June 2021, he performed plastic surgery at Seduction.
  • On June 16, 2021, Sampson performed procedures on seven patients beginning at 6:32 a.m. He began operating on Russell at 8:31 p.m., following a nearly 14-hour shift.

[Burke M. Woman dies after Brazilian butt lift procedure performed by Miami doctor who wasn’t allowed to operate, lawsuit alleges. NBC News, March 7, 2024]

According to a disciplinary order filed September 9, 2022, by the State of Florida Board of Medicine, Sampson faced the following penalties: (a) pay a $20,000 fine; (b) reimburse costs of $5,626.65 for investigating and prosecuting the case; (c) complete five hours of continuing medical education in the area of medical records and a Board-approved laws and rules course; (d) present a lecture/seminar on complications related to gluteal fat grafting to medical staff at an approved medical facility; (e) be permanently restricted from performing gluteal fat grafting procedures; (e) be permanently restricted from serving as the Designated Physician of an office surgery center regulated by the Department of Health; and (f) submit a Quality Assurance review of his patients’ records by a Certified Professional Healthcare Risk Manager, provide the Board’s probation committee with the Quality Assurance report, and comply with all of the report’s recommendations.

The Board’s Amended Administrative Complaint against Sampson had alleged he: (a) committed medical malpractice; (b) inserted fat into the patient’s gluteal muscles, which is prohibited; (c) made deceptive, untrue, or fraudulent representations in or related to the practice of medicine; and (d) was the designated physician for an office that failed to operate in compliance with health and safety requirements.


Researchers highlight deaths of U.S. citizens undergoing cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic. Researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Dominican Republic Ministry of Health have reported:

The number of deaths after cosmetic surgery among U.S. citizens in the Dominican Republic increased from a mean of 4.1 per year during 2009–2018 to a mean of 13.0 per year during 2019–2022 with a peak in of 17 in 2020.  A review of the 29 deaths during 2019–2020 revealed that the deaths were associated with fat or venous thromboembolism. A high proportion of patients who died had risk factors for embolism, including obesity and having multiple procedures performed during the same operation.

Medical records were available for 24 women who died. Fourteen of these deaths occurred within 24 hours of the surgery. Liposuction was performed in all 24 fatal cases, gluteal fat transfer in 22, abdominoplasty in 14, and breast augmentation in 11. The researchers advise:

U.S. citizens considering cosmetic surgery abroad should consult with their primary health professionals about their inherent risk for adverse events after surgery and preventive measures they can take to reduce the risk. They should consult with a travel medicine specialist [4-6 weeks] before travel, and, as air travel and surgery independently increase the risk for blood clots, patients should allow adequate time between flying to and from a destination for surgery to reduce the risk for complications.

As a result of the investigation, the U.S. State Department updated the Medical Tourism and Elective Surgery advisory on the website of the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic. The update advises how to reduce the risk for adverse outcomes and recommends obtaining international travel insurance to cover medical evacuation back to the United States. [Hudson M, and others. Deaths of U.S. citizens undergoing cosmetic surgery — Dominican Republic, 2009–2022. MMWR, Jan 25, 2024]


AMA spotlights differences in training between physicians and naturopaths. The American Medical Association has provided a brief for policymakers that contrasts the educational backgrounds of physicians (M.D. or D.O.) with naturopaths. [Smith TM. What’s the difference between physicians and naturopaths? AMA News Wire, Feb 26, 2024] It notes three categories of practitioners offering naturopathic treatment:

  • naturopathic doctors who have an ND or NMD degree from one of the five accredited four-year programs in the U.S. and pass the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Exam, enabling them to be licensed in at least 24 states and the District of Columbia
  • traditional naturopaths who receive some combination of mentorship, distance learning, and classroom learning on “natural health” or “holistic studies,” and who, along with NDs and NMDs, can practice in states without naturopathic licensing except in the three states where the practice of naturopathy is prohibited: Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee
  • various health professionals, including chiropractors, who include naturopathic methods in their practices

The AMA report further notes that ND or NMD programs are as long as M.D. or D.O. programs but include instruction in naturopathic therapeutics such as homeopathy and hydropathy alongside coursework in sciences, without specifying the number of hours required in each area. Postgraduate training is neither common nor required of naturopathic school graduates, except in Utah, where one year is required. In contrast, physicians complete four years of medical school followed by a minimum of three and as many as seven years of residency. Whereas naturopaths are required to get at least 1,200 hours of direct patient contact, physicians get 12,000–16,000 hours of clinical training. NDs/NMDs lack the training physicians get in key clinical scenarios with all age groups and with hospitalized patients. The AMA concludes:

It is the responsibility of policymakers to ensure that naturopaths’ claims that they can treat a broad range of conditions are backed by facts—facts that include the specific education and training necessary to ensure patient safety.

Although AMA publications occasionally mention naturopathic efforts to gain licensure, they rarely discuss the poor quality of naturopathic education and practice.


Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.



Stephen Barrett, M.D., Curriculum Vitae

Personal Data Address: 7 Birchtree Circle, Chapel Hill, NC 27517 Email: Click here Telephone: (919) 533-6009 Born: New York City, 1933 Married, three children, five grandchildren Wife, Judith Nevyas Barrett, M.D., is a retired family practitioner. Education and Training A.B., Columbia University, 6/54 M.D., Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 6/57 Completed rotating internship, Highland Park General Hospital (Michigan) 6/58 Completed 3-year psychiatric residency at Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, 6/61 Correspondence course in American Law and Procedure, LaSalle University Extension Division, Chicago (1½ years completed), 12/66-12/68 Medical Licenses (Inactive) Pennsylvania, Missouri, California, New Jersey Psychiatric Experience (1961-1993) Chief, Psychiatric Service, Scott Air Force Base Hospital, Illinois, 8/61-7/63 Psychiatrist, San Francisco Juvenile Court, 7/63-8/67 Psychiatrist, San Francisco Child Psychiatry Clinic, 7/63-1/66 Private practice of psychiatry, 8/63-12/93 …

Personal Data
  • Address: 7 Birchtree Circle, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
  • Email: Click here
  • Telephone: (919) 533-6009
  • Born: New York City, 1933
  • Married, three children, five grandchildren
  • Wife, Judith Nevyas Barrett, M.D., is a retired family practitioner.
Education and Training
  • A.B., Columbia University, 6/54
  • M.D., Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 6/57
  • Completed rotating internship, Highland Park General Hospital (Michigan) 6/58
  • Completed 3-year psychiatric residency at Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, 6/61
  • Correspondence course in American Law and Procedure, LaSalle University Extension Division, Chicago (1½ years completed), 12/66-12/68
Medical Licenses (Inactive)
  • Pennsylvania, Missouri, California, New Jersey
Psychiatric Experience (1961-1993)
  • Chief, Psychiatric Service, Scott Air Force Base Hospital, Illinois, 8/61-7/63
  • Psychiatrist, San Francisco Juvenile Court, 7/63-8/67
  • Psychiatrist, San Francisco Child Psychiatry Clinic, 7/63-1/66
  • Private practice of psychiatry, 8/63-12/93
  • Consultant, San Francisco Department of Welfare, 8/64-7/65
  • Consultant, school nurses, San Francisco Public Health Department, 8/65-12/65
  • Consultant, Parks Job Corps Camp, 12/65-1/66
  • Psychiatrist, Center For Special Problems, 2/66-8/67
  • Consultant, San Francisco Adult Probation Department, 8/66-8/67
  • Staff Psychiatrist, Allentown State Hospital, 9/67-7/77
  • Consultant, Pa. Board of Probation and Parole (research project), 11/67-2/69
  • Consultant, Lehigh Valley Mental Health Association, 12/67-2/69
  • Consultant, Lutheran Children’s Home, 2/68-6/72
  • Psychiatrist, Allentown Hospital Psychiatric Clinic, 4/68-6/90
  • Consultant, Pastoral Institute of the Lehigh Valley, 11/68-1/71
  • Consultant, Allentown Counseling Center for Alcoholism, 6/69-6/72
  • Consultant, Lehigh University Centennial School, 1/70-3/77
  • Psychiatrist, Muhlenberg Medical Center Psychiatric Clinic, 6/71-6/86
  • Medical Director, Haven House (partial hospitalization program), 8/76-6/87
  • Consultant, Allentown Police Department (evaluation of police candidates), 8/80-3/85
  • Medical Director, NewVitae Partial Hospitalization Program, 8/90-3/91
Memberships and Appointments (Medical)
  • Chairman, Quackery Committee, Lehigh County Medical Society, 10/69-12/80
  • Chairman, Board of Directors, Quackwatch, Inc. (originally called Lehigh Valley Committee Against Health Fraud, Inc.), 6/70-7/08
  • Member, Board of Trustees, Lehigh Valley Opportunity Center (half-way house for paroled offenders), 7/70-5/72
  • Member, Committee on Health Fraud, Pennsylvania Health Council, 7/72-12/74
  • Member, Committee on Quackery, Pennsylvania Medical Society, 12/73-12/79
  • Member, Board of Advisors, California Council Against Health Fraud, Inc, 12/77-8/84
  • Member, Board of Scientific Advisors, American Council on Science and Health, 4/78-
  • Consultant on Unproven Health Practices, Pennsylvania Medical Society Council on Education and Science, 12/79-12/84
  • Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI)—(originally called Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP)
  • Member, Advisory Board, Children’s Health Care Is A Legal Duty (CHILD), 2/83-12/16
  • National Council Against Health Fraud, Inc. (NCAHF),
    • Member, Board of Directors, 9/84-8/11
    • Vice President, 9/00-8/11
    • Director of Internet Operations, 9/00-4/07
  • Treasurer, Nutrition Council of Pennsylvania, 1/85-6/87
  • Member, Steering Committee, Citizens for Children’s Dental Health (Allentown), 2/98-6/00
  • Member, NIH Special Emphasis Panel (to evaluate alternative medicine research proposals), 3/98-4/98
  • Member, ad hoc advisory group, NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, 10/98-12/00
  • Member, Advisory Board, National Center for Fluoridation Policy and Research, 10/98-12/05
  • Member, Advisory Board, Association for Science in Autism Treatment, 11/99-
  • Member, Council for Scientific Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry, 6/00-5/03
  • Fellow, Council for Scientific Medicine and Mental Health, 5/03-
  • Advisory Board Member, Center for Inquiry Office of Public Policy. 7/06-
  • Vice President, Institute for Science in Medicine, 10/09-3/14
  • University of North Carolina Medicine Clinic Advisory Panel, 2/10-01/11
  • Member, board of directors, Prescription Justice, 9/15-
Memberships and Appointments (Journalistic)
  • Medical Consultant, WFMZ-TV, Allentown, 5/79-6/89
  • Member, Medical Advisory Board, National Health (a consumer newspaper), 9/79-1/80
  • Medical Editor, George F. Stickley Co., Philadelphia, 8/80-12/88
  • Consumer Health Editor, Nautilus Magazine, 7/81-6/84
  • Consulting Editor, ACSH News and Views, 10/81-6/88
  • Health Editor, Our Age (newspaper of the National Alliance of Senior Citizens), 5/82-6/83
  • Contributing Editor, Environmental Nutrition Newsletter, 9/82-3/84
  • Editorial Advisor, Shape Magazine, 9/82-4/94
  • Science and Health Editor, Inside Radio, 10/82-8/83
  • Editor, Nutrition Forum Newsletter, 1/84-12/93
  • Editorial Consultant, Nutrition Forum, 1/94-9/00
  • Member, Editorial Advisory Board, Rx Being Well, 5/84-10/87
  • Consumer Affairs Editor, Healthline Newsletter, 3/85-9/00
  • Editorial Consultant, Prevention Magazine, 3/86-1/93
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Healthy Weight Journal, 6/87-12/03
  • Member, Society of Professional Journalists, 6/87-3/89
  • Member, National Association of Science Writers, 11/87-12/97
  • Member, Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc, 2/89-12/98
  • Medical Editor, Prometheus Books, 2/91-12/98
  • Editorial Advisory Board, The Diet Busine$$ Bulletin, 5/92-7/94
  • Contributing Editor, The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine, 6/97-12/07
  • Member, Editorial Board, Science & Pseudoscience Review in Mental Health, 2/00-12/02
  • Editor, Consumer Health Digest, 11/00-12/17; Consulting Editor, 1/18-
  • North American Co-Editor, Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 8/12-12/16
Memberships and Appointments (Internet-Related)
  • Member, Internet Healthcare Coalition, 10/97-12/99
  • Member, Editorial Board, Medical Web Search, 6/98-12/00
  • Member, Editorial Board, MedScape/MedGenMed, 5/99-2/05
  • Member, Editorial Board, MD net guide, 8/99-3/02
  • Participant member, Fraud Defense Network, 11/99-11/01
  • Member, Editorial Board, Family Medicine net guide, 2/00-5/02
  • Member CBS HealthWatch Physicians Network, 3/00-12/02
  • Weekly columnist (“Alternative Medicine: A Skeptical Look”), Canoe 4/00-5/02
  • Consumer Empowerment Advisor, PlanetFeedback, 4/00-3/01
  • Advisory Board, Pyramid Scheme Alert, 10/00-
  • Member, The Network for Public Health Law, 5/03-
Memberships and Appointments (Academic)
  • Instructor in Health Education, The Pennsylvania State University, 5/87-6/89
  • Instructor, Duke University Osher Lifelong Learning Institute program, 9/09-10/09
Journal Peer Review (Panelist, Editorial Consultant, or Occasional Manuscript Reviewer)
Honors and Awards (Academic, Professional, and Public Service)
  • Pulitzer Scholar, Columbia University, 1950-54
  • Freshman Chemistry Prize, Columbia College, 1951
  • Mediquiz Contest National Award (Resident Physician magazine), 1960
  • Lehigh Valley Dental Society’s Dr. Francis J. Trembley Outstanding Citizen Award for “decisive contributions dedicated to the betterment of oral medicine,” 1975
  • FDA Commissioner’s Special Citation for “outstanding and consistent contributions against the proliferation of nutrition quackery to the American consumer,” 1984
  • Honorary Lifetime Membership Award, Lehigh Valley Dietetic Association, 1986
  • Honorary Member Award, American Dietetic Association, 1986
  • Fellow, Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), 1992-
  • Annals of Internal Medicine: Editors’ commendation (“top 10%”) for quality and timeliness of reviews in 1999
  • Distinguished Service to Health Education Award “in recognition of outstanding contributions to the health and well-being of mankind through health education.” American Association for Health Education, 2001
  • Listed in Marquis Who’s Who in the East since 1993
  • Listed in Marquis Who’s Who in America since 2001
  • Listed in Marquis Who’s Who in Science and Engineering since 2001
  • Listed in Marquis Who’s Who in the World since 2002
  • Listed in Marquis Who’s Who in Medicine and Health Care since 2002
  • Listed in Marquis Who’s Who in American Education since 2006
  • Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, which is based on “career longevity, philanthropic endeavors, and lasting contributions to society.” 2021
  • American Fluoridation Society Lifetime Commitment Award for outstanding leadership and dedication in protecting, retaining, and initiation of community water fluoridation.” 2021
Honors and Awards (Quackwatch)
  • Journal of the American Medical Association: One of nine “select sites that provide reliable health information and resources,” 1998
  • U.S. News & World Reports: Best of the Web (one of three medical sites), 1999
  • Oncolink Editor’s Choice, 1999
  • Britannica Internet Guide Award, 2000
  • Forbes “Best of the Web,” 2000 through 2010
  • “Nettie” Award for best Web site operated by an individual physician in 2002. MD net guide, 2003.
  • Other Honors and Awards
Books, Co-authored
Books, Edited or Co-edited
  • Dear Dr. Stare: What Should I Eat?, by Fredrick J. Stare, MD., and Virginia Aronson, RD (Stickley, 1982)
  • Your Guide to Urology, by Charles D. Saunders, MD. (Stickley, 1982)
  • Your Guide to Mental Help, by John P. Callan, MD (Stickley, (1982)
  • Your Guide to Physical Fitness, by Ellington Darden, PhD (Stickley, 1982)
  • Life After 50: Your Guide to Health and Happiness, by Joseph D. Alter, MD (Stickley, 1982)
  • Vitamins and Minerals: Help or Harm?, by Charles W. Marshall, PhD (Stickley, 1983)
  • Inside Psychotherapy-The Patient’s Handbook, by Ronald W. Pies, MD (Stickley, 1983)
  • Your Basic Guide to Nutrition, by Fredrick J. Stare, MD., and Virginia Aronson, RD (Stickley, 1983)
  • Your Guide to Foot Care, by Marvin Sandler, DPM (Stickley, 1984)
  • Women Under the Knife: A Gynecologist’s Report on Hazardous Medicine, by Herbert H. Keyser, MD (Stickley, 1984)
  • A Smoking Gun: How the Tobacco Companies Get Away with Murder, by Elizabeth M. Whelan, ScD., MPH (Stickley, 1984)
  • Your Guide to Heart Care, by Albert G. Goldin, MD (Stickley, 1984)
  • Your Guide to Ear, Nose and Throat Problems, by Michael Morelock, MD (Stickley, 1985)
  • The Smoke-Free Workplace, by William Weis, PhD and Bruce Miller (Prometheus Books, 1985)
  • Nutrition 90/91, with Charlotte C. Cook-Fuller, PhD. Dushkin Publishing Group, 1990)
  • Dubious Cancer Treatment. (American Cancer Society, Florida Division, 1991)
  • Nutrition 91/92, with Charlotte C. Cook-Fuller, PhD (Dushkin, 1991)
  • Nutrition 92/93, with Charlotte C. Cook-Fuller, PhD (Dushkin, 1992)
  • A Consumer’s Guide to “Alternative Medicine,” by Kurt Butler (Prometheus, 1992)
  • Panic in the Pantry, by Elizabeth M. Whelan, ScD, MPH, and Fredrick J. Stare, MD, PhD (Prometheus, 1992)
  • Mystical Diets, by Jack Raso, MS, RD (Prometheus, 1993)
  • Nutrition 94/95, with Charlotte C. Cook-Fuller, PhD (Dushkin Publishing Group (1994)
  • “Alternative” Healthcare, by Jack Raso, MS, RD (Prometheus, 1994)
  • Nutrition 95/96, with Charlotte C. Cook-Fuller, PhD (Dushkin, 1995)
  • Chiropractic: The Victim’s Perspective, by George J. Magner, III (Prometheus, 1995)
  • Nutrition 96/97, with Charlotte C. Cook-Fuller, PhD (Brown & Benchmark, 1996)
  • Nutrition 97/98, with Charlotte C. Cook-Fuller, PhD (Brown & Benchmark, 1997)
  • Nutrition 98/99, with Charlotte C. Cook-Fuller, PhD (McGraw-Hill, 1998)
  • Nutrition 99/00, with Charlotte C. Cook-Fuller, PhD (McGraw-Hill, 1999)
  • Inside Chiropractic: A Patient’s Guide, by Samuel Homola, DC (Prometheus, 1999)
  • Nutrition 00/01 with Charlotte C. Cook-Fuller, PhD (McGraw-Hill, 2000)
  • Chiropractic: The Greatest Hoax of the Century?, 2nd Edition, by Ludmil A. Chotkowski, MD (New England Novelty Books, 2001)
  • Chiropractice Abuse: An Insider’s Lament, by Preston Long, DC., PhD (2013)
Athletic Achievements (Swimming)
  • Columbia University: Freshman team, 1950-51; varsity, 1951-53
  • Allentown JCC “Channel Swim”: winner and age-group recordholder, 1959
  • North Carolina Senior Games (state championships)
    • 2008: Two gold medals, one bronze
    • 2009: Four silver medals, one bronze
    • 2010: Two gold medals, three silver
    • 2011: Two gold medals, one silver, three bronze
    • 2012: Three silver medals, three bronze
    • 2013: Three gold medals, one silver, 2 bronze
    • 2014: Five gold medals, one silver
    • 2016: Five gold medals, one silver
    • 2017: Three gold medals, two silver
    • 2018: Six gold medals; set state records in four events
    • 2019: Three gold medals; set state record in 200-yard IM
    • 2021: Four gold medals, setting state records in all four events
    • 2022: Two gold medals
    • 2023: Two gold medals, setting state records in both events
  • North Carolina Short Course State Championships (U.S. Masters Swimming)
    • 2009: Won five events, second in two
    • 2010: Won two events, second in three, third in one
    • 2013: Won three events, second in three
    • 2017: Won eight events
    • 2018: Won four events
    • 2019: Won six event
    • 2024: Won five events, setting state records in three of them
  • North Carolina Fall Brawl (U.S. Masters Swimming)
    • 2009: Won three events, second in one
    • 2010: Won four events
    • 2011: Won five events
    • 2012: Won two events, second in one
    • 2013: Won three events
  • Frank Clark Masters Open (U.S. Masters Swimming)
    • 2013: Won four events, second in one
    • 2014: Won three events, second in one
    • 2017: Won five events
    • 2018: Won three events
    • 2019: Won three events, setting the NC state record for the 200-yard individual medley
  • North Carolina Long Course Meters State Championship (U.S. Masters Swimming)
    • 2013: Won three events, second in two. Set NC state records for 100- and 200-meter long-course breaststroke swims, both of which also earned 2013 USMS Top Ten awards.
    • 2019: Won five events, setting state records in all of them.
    • 2022: Won three events. The 200-meter backstroke win set a state record and earned a USMS All-American award for the fastest time in the U.S. for his age group in 2022.
  • Eastern North Carolina Long Course Splash (U.S. Masters Swimming)
    • 2014: Won five events
  • Short Course National Championships (U.S. Masters Swimming)
    • 2012: Two gold medals and one bronze in relay events; seventh place in two individual events. All three relay times set NC state records. The men’s 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relay results also earned USMS Relay All-American Awards for the best age 75-79 times in the U.S. in 2012.
    • 2016: Six medals (one 4th place, two fifth place, two sixth place, and one eighth place)
    • 2019: Three gold and two silver medals
  • National Senior Games
    • 2013: Three silver medals and two ribbons (4th and 7th place in other events)
    • 2019: Two bronze medals and four ribbons (4th in two events, 5th in two events)
  • Huntsman World Senior Games
    • 2013: One gold (50-meter butterfly), one silver (100-meter breaststroke), and 5 bronze medals.
    • 2018: Three gold, three silver, and one bronze
  • FINA World Masters Championships, Montreal
    • 2014: Won medals for 50-meter butterfly (5th place) and 100-meter freestyle (9th place)
  • U.S. Masters Swimming Summer National Championships
    • 2014: Seven medals: Gold in 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke; silver in 200-meter breaststroke; bronze in 50-meter butterfly and 100-meter freestyle; 4th place in 50-meter backstroke; and 9th place in 200-meter men’s medley relay.
    • 2022: Six medals: Gold in 50-meter breaststroke; silver in 50-meter backstroke and 100-meter freestyle; bronze in 50-meter freestyle, and 6th and 7th place in relays.
  • USA Masters National Championship
    • 2016: Won seven gold (four individual events, theee relays), three silver, and one bronze medals
  • Short Course Masters Eastern Invitational (U.S. Masters Swimming)
    • 2016: Won three events. Set North Carolina state record in 200-yard individual medley.
    • 2017: Won two events
    • 2018: Won five events, setting NC state records in the 100 freestyle and 100 individual medley.
    • 2019: Won six events
  • Coastal Masters Invitational (U.S. Masters Swimming)
    • 2017: Won eight events
    • 2018: Won three events
    • 2019: Won six events
  • Sunbelt Short Course Yards (U.S. Masters Swimming)
    • 2019: Won three events
    • 2020: Won three events
    • 2022: Won three events
  • U.S. Masters Virtual National Championships
    • 2020: Won three events, second in three events
  • Bodyarmor State Games of North Carolina
    • 2021: Won seven events
Training Programs (Swimming)
  • American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor, certified 1952, 1958, 2023
  • Certified USMS Coach, Levels I and II, 2012
  • Certified instructor, USMS Adult Learn-to-Swim Program, 2016
  • American Red Cross CPR/AED/first aid, certified 2023
Other Activities and Achievements
  • Eagle Scout, 1949; Order of the Arrow; Brotherhood Honor, 1951
  • Certified first aid instructor, American Red Cross 1952
  • American Contract Bridge League: Life Master, 1959; Bronze Life Master, 2011; Silver Life Master, 2018
  • Captain, United States Air Force: Active duty, 1961-1963


Consumer Health Digest, Issue #24-09

Multilevel marketing companies commonly misrepresent distributor earnings. Dubious canine cancer-drug marketer receives 97-month prison sentence. Polish Health Ministry responds to advocates of dubious Lyme disease care. “Leaky gut syndrome” not medically recognized. Multilevel marketing companies commonly misrepresent distributor earnings. A TruthInAdvertising.org (TINA.org) investigation into multilevel marketing (MLM) companies found that 98 of 100 companies misrepresented how much typical recruits were likely to earn. The study included all 93 companies on the June 1, 2023, Direct Selling Association membership list plus Tupperware, LegalShield, Pruvit, doTerra International, Monat Global, Vida Divina, and eXp Realty. For those that provided enough information to calculate overall earnings, TINA.org found more than 80% of their distributors made $1,000 or less for the year (before deducting business expenses) and many distributors made no money at …

  • Multilevel marketing companies commonly misrepresent distributor earnings.
  • Dubious canine cancer-drug marketer receives 97-month prison sentence.
  • Polish Health Ministry responds to advocates of dubious Lyme disease care.
  • “Leaky gut syndrome” not medically recognized.

Multilevel marketing companies commonly misrepresent distributor earnings. A TruthInAdvertising.org (TINA.org) investigation into multilevel marketing (MLM) companies found that 98 of 100 companies misrepresented how much typical recruits were likely to earn. The study included all 93 companies on the June 1, 2023, Direct Selling Association membership list plus Tupperware, LegalShield, Pruvit, doTerra International, Monat Global, Vida Divina, and eXp Realty. For those that provided enough information to calculate overall earnings, TINA.org found more than 80% of their distributors made $1,000 or less for the year (before deducting business expenses) and many distributors made no money at all. TINA.org’s database includes more than 4,300 examples dating from 2018 to the present of companies and/or their distributors making inappropriate earnings claims on their websites and social media platforms, [MLMs continue to recruit with deceptive earnings claims. TINA.org Consumer News, Feb 26, 2024]


Dubious canine cancer-drug marketer receives 97-month prison sentence. Jonathan Nyce, 73, of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 97 months in prison, as well as three years of supervised release and a $500 special assessment for carrying out a years-long scheme to defraud pet owners of money by falsely claiming to sell drugs that could cure canine cancer. A federal jury convicted Nyce of wire fraud and the interstate shipment of misbranded animal drugs in December 2022. In perpetrating the scheme, Nyce:

  • created several companies, including “Canine Care,” “ACGT,” and “CAGT,” through which he purported to develop drugs intended to treat cancer in dogs
  • beginning in 2012, used various websites for these companies and marketed “cancer-curing” medications to desperate pet owners using the drug names “Tumexal” and “Naturasone”
  • made numerous false and fraudulent claims on the websites regarding the safety and efficacy of these supposed drugs, including that “Tumexal is effective against a wide variety of cancers,” and, “Tumexal will almost always restore a cancer-stricken dog’s appetite, spirit and energy!”
  • through email and telephone conversations, induced the owners of terminally ill dogs to pay him hundreds or thousands of dollars for these drugs by touting the effectiveness of his products in treating a host of canine cancers
  • told prospective customers their pets could become part of clinical trials but, in order to do so, they had to pay him large sums of money
  • sold nearly $1,000,000 worth of drugs to approximately 900 different victims
  • falsely claimed in promotional materials that his company’s research was “funded in part by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration”

Nyce’s products were nothing more than a collection of bulk ingredients from various sources the defendant blended at a facility in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. His marketing, sale, and shipment of these drugs violated the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because the drugs were not FDA-approved. [Collegeville man sentenced to 97 months in prison for scheme to sell fraudulent canine cancer drugs to pet owners. U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania press release, Feb 16, 2024] Nyce initiated his scheme immediately after completing an eight-year sentence for the 2004 bludgeoning death of his wife in their Hopewell Township, New Jersey, home. [Roebuck J. First, he killed his wife. Now, a Collegeville man is headed back to prison for selling fake cancer drugs for dogs. The Philadelphia Inquirer, Feb 16, 2024]

Brennen McKenzie, VMD, MSc, discussed important details regarding Nyce, Tumexal, and the problem of veterinary quackery in his SkeptVet blog posts in 2014, 2020, and 2023.


Polish Health Ministry responds to advocates of dubious Lyme disease care. The LymeScience website has posted an English translation of a report by Miłosz Parczewski, M.D., Ph.D., that the Polish Health Ministry used to respond to dubious methods promoted by the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). The report was shared on January 30, 2024. [ILADS method should not be used, says Polish Health Ministry. LymeScience, Feb 18, 2021] Professor Parczewski noted “according to current knowledge and the WHO classification, there is no ‘chronic Lyme disease.’” He concluded:

In summary, the “ILADS method”. . .has become a common basis in clinical practice in Poland for long-term (even over a year and several years!) use of many antibiotics, often in combinations (including drugs from the Beta-lactams, rifampicin, metronidazole, macrolides and others). . . The effectiveness of long-term antibiotic therapy has not been confirmed in randomized clinical trials on large enough groups and may lead to significant side effects and result in. . . antibiotic resistance in the general Polish population. Medical literature precisely describes cases of complications after long-term antibiotic therapy used in cases of Lyme disease. Additionally, there is scientific evidence in a randomized clinical trial (published after the publication of the “ILADS method” in 2016) describing the lack of benefit from long-term antibiotic therapy (12 weeks) compared to shorter therapy.


“Leaky gut syndrome” not medically recognized. McGill University science communicator Jonathan Jarry looked closely at the dubious diagnosis of leaky gut syndrome and concluded:

  • Leaky gut syndrome is not a medically accepted diagnosis but is common in “integrative medicine,” naturopathy, and “functional medicine.”
  • Changes to the permeability of the intestine have been noted in inflammatory bowel disease, gut infections, and HIV/AIDS, but they appear to be consequences of these conditions not their cause.
  • The lactulose-mannitol test sometimes used to diagnose leaky gut syndrome is not reliable; and the use of dietary supplements to treat the alleged syndrome is not based on good scientific evidence.

[Jarry J. You probably don’t have a leaky gut. McGill University Office for Science and Society, Feb 23, 2024]


Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.




Homeowatch

Homeopathic “remedies” are usually harmless, but their associated misbeliefs are not. When people are healthy, it may not matter what they believe. But when serious illness strikes, false beliefs can lead to disaster. This Web site provides information about homeopathy that is difficult or impossible to find elsewhere. The bottom line is that it is senseless and does not work. About Homeowatch Mission Statement Most Recent Additions to Quackwatch, and Its Affiliated Sites (link to Quackwatch) About Dr. Barrett Cheers & Jeers (updated 4/14/15) Homeopathic Theories and Practices Overview (link to Quackwatch) The Law of Similars (posted 3/20/02) The Law of “Infinitesimals” (posted 3/20/02) How Homeopathy Harms (posted 8/10/15) Why Users Say Homeopathy Works (posted 3/15/20) Homeopathic Glossary (updated 8/4/15) Some Notes on the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia (posted 4/14/15) …

Homeopathic “remedies” are usually harmless, but their associated misbeliefs are not. When people are healthy, it may not matter what they believe. But when serious illness strikes, false beliefs can lead to disaster. This Web site provides information about homeopathy that is difficult or impossible to find elsewhere. The bottom line is that it is senseless and does not work.

About Homeowatch
Homeopathic Theories and Practices
Homeopathic Research
Investigative Reports
Miscellaneous News
Legal and Regulatory Matters (United States)
Legal and Regulatory Matters (Other Countries)
Homeopathic History
Homeopathic Publications
Critical Articles and Web Sites
Proponent Views
Recommended Books


Consumer Health Digest, Issue #24-08

Galantamine supplements found to be inaccurately labeled. NewsGuard identifies over 300 false vaccine-related internet narratives. Promoting COVID-19 misinformation found to be lucrative for four nonprofits. Galantamine supplements found to be inaccurately labeled. Galantamine is a plant alkaloid available in the United States as either a prescription medication (FDA-approved for treating mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease) or as a dietary supplement. Last year, researchers purchased and then conducted laboratory analyses of: all 11 immediate-release generic drug formulations available in the U.S. by prescription and labeled as containing 4, 8, or 12 mg of galantamine per tablet or capsule all 10 brands of dietary supplements available in the U.S. on Amazon.com. All were labeled with galantamine as an ingredient and had a Supplement Facts panel. The labels said the product …

  • Galantamine supplements found to be inaccurately labeled.
  • NewsGuard identifies over 300 false vaccine-related internet narratives.
  • Promoting COVID-19 misinformation found to be lucrative for four nonprofits.

Galantamine supplements found to be inaccurately labeled. Galantamine is a plant alkaloid available in the United States as either a prescription medication (FDA-approved for treating mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease) or as a dietary supplement. Last year, researchers purchased and then conducted laboratory analyses of:

  • all 11 immediate-release generic drug formulations available in the U.S. by prescription and labeled as containing 4, 8, or 12 mg of galantamine per tablet or capsule
  • all 10 brands of dietary supplements available in the U.S. on Amazon.com. All were labeled with galantamine as an ingredient and had a Supplement Facts panel. The labels said the product contained 4, 6, 8, or 12 mg of galantamine per serving

The researchers found all 11 generic drugs contained galantamine within 10% of the labeled quantity and none were contaminated with microorganisms. In contrast, only one of the 10 dietary supplements contained galantamine within 10% of the labeled quantity. That product’s label claimed it was a “memory optimizer.” The galantamine content of the other nine supplements ranged from less than 1.6% to 75.4% of the labeled amount. Three of the supplements were contaminated with Bacillus cereus sens stricto-encoding enterotoxin genes, suggesting a lack of quality control but not an expected risk of adverse effects. The labels of eight supplements included claims for various types of mental-performance enhancement.

Calling for reform of laws regulating dietary supplements to ensure accurate labeling, the researchers noted:

For patients with Alzheimer’s disease, use of galantamine supplements instead of generic galantamine may adversely affect their care. Furthermore, the sale of inaccurately labeled galantamine supplements promoted for nonspecific memory and other cognitive problems is concerning given the lack of proven efficacy, potential drug–drug interactions, and adverse effects…

[Cohen P. and others. Accuracy of labeling of galantamine generic drugs and dietary supplements. JAMA, Feb 23, 2024]


NewsGuard identifies over 300 false vaccine-related internet narratives. NewsGuard’s healthcare information team has identified more than 300 vaccine-related false narratives circulating on the internet, shared by more than 4,300 websites, other news sources, and social media accounts. Prominent promoters of the false narratives include Natural News, the National Vaccine Information Center, U.K.-based Principia Scientific, and NaturallyFTW.com. The myths NewsGuard noted included:

  • “Fibrous blood clots reported by embalmers are proof of widespread deaths caused by COVID-19 vaccines” (spread by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Children’s Health Defense)
  • “AstraZeneca and Sanofi’s nirsevimab shot against RSV led to rise in newborn deaths in France” (promoted in a December 2023 blogpost and January 2024 video posted on Crowdbunker by French pharmacologist Hélène Banoun, who has advanced multiple falsehoods about vaccines)
  • “Zombie deer disease cases linked to vaccine program funded by Mark Zuckerberg” (promoted in a Jan. 1, 2024 post on Instagram by Kashif Khan)
  • “Canadian study proves that COVID-19 vaccines killed 17 million people” (originated in September 2023, but resurfaced due to a Jan. 5, 2024 Tucker Carlson interview which, as of January 31, had 34,000 reposts and 81,000 likes on X)

NewsGuard claims healthcare misinformation is published on two-thirds of all the news and information websites it has rated as untrustworthy since 2018. [NewsGuard reports more than 300 vaccine-related false narratives now spreading online. NewsGuard, Feb 7, 2024]

NewsGuard has provided detailed vaccine-related debunkings including:

[The misinformation pandemic: Over 300 vaccine myths and counting. NewsGuard’s Reality Check, Feb 19, 2024]


Promoting COVID-19 misinformation found to be lucrative for four nonprofits. An analysis of tax records has revealed four nonprofits that rose to prominence during the coronavirus pandemic by capitalizing on the spread of medical misinformation. Together, they gained more than $118 million between 2020 and 2022. The organizations were:

  • Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine group founded by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., that received $23.5 million in contributions, grants, and other revenue in 2022 alone—eight times what it collected the year before the pandemic began—allowing it to expand its state-based lobbying operations to cover half the country
  • Informed Consent Action Network which nearly quadrupled its revenue during that time to about $13.4 million in 2022, giving it the resources to finance lawsuits seeking to roll back vaccine requirements as Americans’ faith in vaccines dropped
  • Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance and America’s Frontline Doctors, which went from receiving $1 million combined when they formed in 2020 to collecting more than $21 million combined in 2022

Through the use of ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer—a database of charitable organizations’ IRS filings—two donor-advised funds were identified that contributed to the misinformation-promoting organizations. The National Christian Foundation, which on its website describes itself as working with donors to be a “good steward of all God has entrusted to you,” channeled more than $1.8 million in total to the four groups from 2020 through 2022. DonorsTrust, which calls itself a “principled philanthropic partner for conservative and libertarian donors,” contributed $1 million in total to Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance, America’s Frontline Doctors, and Informed Consent Action Network in 2021 and 2022. [Weber L. Tax records reveal the lucrative world of covid misinformation. The Washington Post, Feb 21, 2024]


Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.



Consumer Health Digest, Issue #24-07

Sham insurance sellers face $195 million judgment and permanent marketing ban. Physician assistant convicted of amniotic-fluid fraud. COVID Resist marketers ordered to stop deceptive advertising. TINA.org questions Talkiatry’s advertised patient cost. Sham insurance sellers face $195 million judgment and permanent marketing ban. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has obtained a $195 million judgment against Florida-based Simple Health Plans LLC and its CEO, Steven J. Dorfman. In a complaint filed in 2018, the FTC said Simple Health misled people into thinking they were buying comprehensive health insurance that would cover preexisting medical conditions, prescription drugs, primary and specialty care treatment, inpatient and emergency hospital care, surgical procedures, and medical and laboratory testing. In reality, most consumers who enrolled reported paying as much as $500 per month for what …

  • Sham insurance sellers face $195 million judgment and permanent marketing ban.
  • Physician assistant convicted of amniotic-fluid fraud.
  • COVID Resist marketers ordered to stop deceptive advertising.
  • TINA.org questions Talkiatry’s advertised patient cost.

Sham insurance sellers face $195 million judgment and permanent marketing ban. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has obtained a $195 million judgment against Florida-based Simple Health Plans LLC and its CEO, Steven J. Dorfman. In a complaint filed in 2018, the FTC said Simple Health misled people into thinking they were buying comprehensive health insurance that would cover preexisting medical conditions, prescription drugs, primary and specialty care treatment, inpatient and emergency hospital care, surgical procedures, and medical and laboratory testing. In reality, most consumers who enrolled reported paying as much as $500 per month for what was actually a medical discount program or extremely limited benefit program that did not deliver the promised benefits. It often left consumers with thousands of dollars in uncovered medical bills or, worse yet, unable to get necessary healthcare. [FTC obtains $195 million judgment, permanent ban on telemarketing and selling healthcare products against Simple Health over charges it sold sham health insurance. FTC press release, Feb 9, 2024]

The court found the defendants violated the FTC Act and the agency’s Telemarketing Sales Rule. In granting the FTC’s motion for summary judgment, the Federal District Court in the Southern District of Florida called the activities “a well-documented account of a classic bait and switch scheme—aided by rigged internet searches, deceptive sales scripts, and predatory practices.” The Court banned Simple Health, Dorfman, and related entities Health Benefits One LLC, Health Center Management LLC, Innovative Customer Care LLC, Simple Insurance Leads LLC, and Senior Benefits One LLC from:

  • telemarketing and from marketing, promoting, selling or offering any healthcare products
  • any misrepresentations in the sale of any good or service
  • collecting any money for any healthcare product they previously sold

The court also ordered all of the defendants’ assets, which have been frozen since November 2018, to be liquidated and all proceeds turned over to the FTC, which is expected to use the money to provide refunds to consumers. The defendants are also required to destroy any personal information they collected about their customers.


Physician assistant convicted of amniotic-fluid fraud. A jury has convicted Ray Anthony Shoulders, 36, a physician assistant at a Fort Worth pain-management clinic, of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and 12 counts of healthcare fraud for his scam involving injecting amniotic fluid into patients’ joints in a dubious attempt at pain management. Shoulders now faces up to 240 years in federal prison—20 years per count.

According to evidence presented at trial, Shoulders and his co-conspirators submitted $788,000 in fraudulent claims and received more than $614,000 from Medicare for injecting amniotic fluid—the liquid that surrounds a growing fetus during pregnancy—into patients’ connective tissue in an off-label attempt to relieve joint pain.

Certain amniotic products have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for wound care, but not for pain management. In fact, the FDA has issued repeated consumer alerts warning that biologics such as amniotic fluid “have not been approved for the treatment of any orthopedic condition, such as osteoarthritis, tendonitis, disc disease, tennis elbow, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, chronic pain, or fatigue.” Thus, Medicare considers amniotic injections administered to treat pain medically unnecessary and does not cover them. They do pay for some—but not all—amniotic injections administered to reduce inflammation of damaged tissue, as in a wound. Shoulders’ scam involved administering an amniotic fluid product not covered by insurance but billing for a more expensive product with a billing code for which Medicare paid. [Assistant convicted at trial of amniotic fluid scam. U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Texas press release, Jan 25, 2024]


COVID Resist marketers ordered to stop deceptive advertising. The FTC has announced a proposed stipulated order that would ban Precision Patient Outcomes, Inc. and the company’s CEO, Margrett Priest Lewis, from:

  • claiming any product prevents or reduces the likelihood of infection with, or community transmission of, the COVID-19 virus, unless the FDA has approved the representation
  • claiming any unapproved product reduces the severity or duration of COVID-19
  • misrepresenting the health benefits or efficacy of any drug, food, or dietary supplement or the results of any tests or studies

The order requires defendants to: (a) possess and preserve all scientific evidence used to support the health claims made for products they sell, and (b) notify customers and resellers about the FTC’s lawsuit.

The order settles the FTC’s complaint that alleged the defendants began advertising COVID Resist on the company’s website and social media pages during the pandemic with deceptive claims the product could treat, prevent, or mitigate COVID-19. After learning about the Commission’s enforcement action under the COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act against a company making similar claims, the defendants merely changed the name of the product from COVID Resist to VIRUS Resist and continued to deceptively advertise it as an effective treatment for COVID-19. According to the FTC, the product contained nothing more than vitamins, zinc, and a flavonoid. Based on the defendants’ conduct, the FTC alleged they violated the FTC Act by: (a) making unsubstantiated efficacy claims, and (b) falsely claiming to have scientific evidence to support their claims. [FTC order will ban California-based company from COVID-19 advertising claims. FTC press release, Feb 15, 2024]


TINA.org questions Talkiatry’s advertised patient cost. Talkiatry, an online mental health service, claims the majority of patient visits cost “$30 or less,” but TruthInAdvertising.org (TINA.org) and the Better Business Bureau have received complaints from patients who were billed much more than that per visit. At the bottom of its website, Talkiatry reveals that “a patient’s final cost depends on their insurance.” Noting that some patients have been charged hundreds of dollars per visit, TINA.org asked Talkiatry:

  • If the cost depends on consumers’ insurance coverage, why is Talkiatry providing a specific dollar amount in its advertising?
  • Does it have data to support its claim that the majority of visits cost patients $30 or less?

Tina.org received no answers to these questions. [Talkiatry: Consumer complaints regarding alleged surprise charges are piling up. TINA.org, Feb 1, 2024]


Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.




Interesting Tax Returns

Many of the activities I have investigated are associated with nonprofit organizations. This page links to reports and tax returns related to these organizations. Most of these documents require version 7 or later of Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader. Adelle Davis Foundation [1997] [1998] [1999] [2000] [2001] [2002] [2003] [2004] [2005] [2006] Alive & Well AIDS Alternatives [2001] [2002] [2003] [2004] Advanced Health Research Institute [2002] [2003] [2005] [2006] Alternative Medicine Foundation, Inc. (AMFI) [2004] [2005] [2006] American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine [2001] [2002] [2003] [2004] [2005] [2006] [2007] [2008] [2009] [2010] [2011] [2012] [2013] [2014] [2015] [2016] American Association for Health Freedom [2004] [2005] [2006] [2007] [2008] American Board of Clinical Metal Toxicology [2004] [2005] [2006] [2007] [2008] [2009] American Board of Environmental Medicine …

Many of the activities I have investigated are associated with nonprofit organizations. This page links to reports and tax returns related to these organizations. Most of these documents require version 7 or later of Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader.