Everyone wants to be healthy.
Common health goals may include losing weight, building muscles, controlling chronic health conditions, sleeping better, reducing aging, running faster, and so on.
The desires for easy solutions to difficult health problems make people buy health products without thinking about if there is a problem.
But according to Gary Coody, R.Ph., FDA’s national health fraud coordinator, sometimes popular health products can be health fraud scams.
They are deceptively promoted as being effective against a disease or health condition but in fact, have not been scientifically proven safe and effective for that purpose.
Scammers promote their products through newspapers, magazines, TV infomercials and internet sites.
These fraud scams not only can waste your money, but also can cause serious injury or even death.
The researcher suggests fraudulent products often make claims related to weight loss, sexual performance, memory loss, serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and Alzheimer’s.
But the good news is that it is not hard to identify health fraud scams. According to him, fraud scams often use the following claims in their product promotion:
One product does it all.
If a product can cure a wide range of diseases, then it is highly possible that it is a scam.
For example, one company used to claim their dietary supplements could treat or cure senile dementia, brain atrophy, atherosclerosis, kidney dysfunction, gangrene, depression, osteoarthritis, dysuria, and lung, cervical and prostate cancer.
Eventually, the FDA requested U.S. marshals to seize these products.
Personal testimonials.
Success stories from individual customers are easy to make up and are not a substitute for scientific evidence.
Quick fixes.
There are few diseases or health conditions can be treated quickly. If a product says “Lose 30 pounds in 30 days” or “eliminates skin cancer in days”, people should stay away from it.
“All natural.”
Research has shown that “all natural” health products may contain hidden and dangerously high doses of prescription drug ingredients or even untested active artificial ingredients.
These products may cause serious health outcomes, such as liver damage, kidney failure, and even lead to death.
“Miracle Cure.”
This claim and others like “scientific breakthrough” or “secret ingredient” may not true.
If a real cure for a serious disease were really discovered, it would be widely reported through the media and prescribed by doctors.
Conspiracy theories.
Some products have claims like “The pharmaceutical industry and the government are working together to hide information about a miracle cure”.
These claims are always untrue and unfounded. They distract consumers from the obvious, common-sense questions about the so-called miracle cure.
Copyright © 2019 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
