A Few Health Scams

There have always been Health Scams.   We can talk about ‘Snake Oil’ which was big in the Old West, or skip ahead to  ‘Carbolic Smoke Ball’ which was ‘guaranteed’ to prevent influenza in the late 1800s.

 As people are so gullible many agencies have to be vigilant to prevent scams from proliferating and prospering and harming the health of citizens.

 In 1950 Laetrile, a drug discarded in 1892 was repackaged to treat cancer.

 Many studies have been done to prove it doesn’t work.  Yet, there are people who will avoid standard treatments and use this product.

Recently,  Colloidal Silver has made a reappearance.   

This is a mixture of silver in water.  There are many claims about all the benefits.  One thing it does do, is turn the skin permanently blue.

It has no health benefits at all.

Recently  people have suffered mercury poisoning by using certain products.   Mercury has been found in many cosmetics, especially those marketed as “anti-aging” or “skin lightening”

The products claim to lighten skin, prevent aging, remove age spots, freckles, etc.   What it does is poison you.

Another popular product is a ‘colon cleanser’. The hype in the market has made people believe that their body stores fecal matter for years and needs a miracle cleansing product to empty.

This belief was kicked to the pavement over 100 years ago.  Miracle cleansers are a waste of money.

Everyone has heard about the ‘Herbal Supplements’.  They are supposed to have wide ranging benefits.

A recent lawsuit was brought against Walgreens and Walmart to stop them from selling so-called herbal supplements.

Not only doesn’t the top sellers work,  but are dangerous.

Most of these products do not even list herbs  in the ingredients.  

Tests have proven these supplements contained  powdered rice, house plants and asparagus.   

 The largest market are, of course the ‘Diet Pill’.

Diet Scams proliferate. Four companies have been sued because of the promises they made that consumers could lose weight by using their food additives, skin creams and other dietary supplements.

 The companies, Sensa Products, L’Occitane, HCG Diet Direct and LeanSpa have been ordered to pay $34 million in refunds to consumers. 

You know if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is false.