Buzz
For decades, the U.S. government has faced allegations of suppressing potentially life-saving medical treatments. Many citizens have watched in frustration as groundbreaking therapies and medications are targeted by agencies like the FDA and DEA. These treatments often face severe restrictions, leading to the imprisonment of their creators, widespread skepticism about their efficacy, and public condemnation.
While safeguarding public health by preventing harmful treatments is crucial, it’s equally important to recognize the financial incentives behind keeping people ill rather than curing them. If pharmaceutical companies and medical organizations exert excessive influence over U.S. legislation, they could prioritize profits over public well-being. Should the FDA and DEA be compromised, their role as protectors of public safety becomes questionable, and the following ten therapies might have been unjustly vilified by a corrupted system.
10. Cyanide
While high doses of cyanide are lethal, some studies suggest that minimal amounts could target cancer cells. Laetrile, a product from the 1950s containing vitamin B17, includes trace amounts of cyanide. Advocates argue that B17, present in apricot seeds, bitter almonds, and bean sprouts, possesses cancer-fighting properties and is safe when consumed in moderation.
Following multiple failed efforts to legalize laetrile in the 1970s, the FDA banned all forms of B17, making it unlawful to use this vitamin for cancer treatment in the U.S. Given that the most common cancer treatment today involves exposing the body to high levels of radiation, it’s reasonable to wonder whether small doses of cyanide could truly be worse.
9. DMSO
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), a by-product of paper production, seems an unlikely contender for a groundbreaking medical treatment. However, countless individuals worldwide swear by this pungent gel’s ability to alleviate pain, speed up recovery, and even combat cancer. In the mid-1960s, DMSO advocates clashed with the FDA over claims of its cancer-fighting properties, resulting in decades of stigma around its medical use. While the FDA approved DMSO for interstitial cystitis in 1978 and for veterinary use in 1980, the numerous success stories of cancer patients using DMSO remain ignored.
Although a generic version of DMSO was approved in 2002, the FDA shows no indication of endorsing it for specific prescription treatments soon. Critics highlight side effects like skin irritation, nausea, and vision loss, yet similarly severe side effects haven’t prevented the FDA from approving numerous other drugs developed and marketed by pharmaceutical companies.
8. Orgone Therapy
In 1954, the FDA took legal action against Wilhelm Reich, an Austrian psychiatrist, due to his groundbreaking work with an energy field he termed “orgone.” Despite Reich’s orgone accumulator and cloudbuster machines having no record of causing harm, the FDA deemed his work a threat. Reich was ordered to cease producing and distributing his inventions, and the agency launched an aggressive campaign to destroy his publications.
The FDA confiscated and burned any book authored by Reich or containing the term “orgone.” When Reich defied the injunction by continuing to produce and sell orgone accumulators, he was arrested. Reich argued that the FDA had no authority over “primordial, preatomic cosmic orgone energy,” but the agency disagreed, resulting in a two-year prison sentence for Reich.
Reich died in prison, but his theories endured. A former student of Sigmund Freud, Reich proposed the existence of a universal primal energy, manifesting in humans as sexuality. His orgone accumulators, resembling phone booths, were designed to channel this energy into the body. Regardless of Reich’s perceived transgressions, the suppression of his ideas reflects a troubling resistance to free thought, reminiscent of the Inquisition.
7. Electromagnetic Therapy
The human body relies on electrical and magnetic fields to maintain essential functions that sustain life and health. However, the scientific community has only recently begun to acknowledge the therapeutic potential of low-frequency electromagnetic energy. Early 20th-century pioneers like Raymond Rife faced ridicule for proposing that specific electromagnetic frequencies could target and eliminate cancer. Rife’s Frequency Generator, developed in the 1930s, was dismissed by the American Medical Association, preventing its widespread adoption.
In recent years, studies have shown that certain electromagnetic frequencies can effectively destroy tumors. The FDA has also softened its stance, permitting the use of electromagnetic therapy for fracture healing, pain relief, and even restarting the heart during cardiac arrest. As the benefits of this therapy gain recognition, it seems Raymond Rife’s groundbreaking work deserves a long-overdue acknowledgment.
6. The Hoxsey Treatment
In the 1920s, radio personality Norman Baker brought Harry Hoxsey into the spotlight. Hoxsey inherited folk remedies for cancer from his grandfather, who observed horses healing themselves by consuming specific herbs. With Baker’s support, Hoxsey’s clinics grew into the largest private cancer treatment network by 1950, serving over 12,000 patients worldwide.
In 1956, the FDA declared that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals had deemed Hoxsey’s treatment ineffective. By 1960, the final Hoxsey clinic in the U.S. was shut down, prompting Hoxsey’s lead nurse to relocate to Tijuana and establish a new facility. However, with the implementation of NAFTA, even these Mexican clinics faced pressure as the U.S. and Mexico collaborated to restrict cross-border alternative medicine practices.
The Hoxsey Treatment involves a blend of natural herbs used topically or taken orally, reportedly aiding thousands in overcoming cancer. Recent research supports the idea that dietary adjustments, such as consuming specific vitamins and minerals found in herbs, can prevent cancer and combat tumors. Despite the FDA’s 1956 claim that cancer patients would perish without state-approved treatments like chemotherapy, substantial evidence suggests the Hoxsey Treatment was suppressed rather than disproven.
5. The Gerson Regimen
Max Gerson gained prominence in the 1930s by arguing that environmental toxins and processed foods altered cell metabolism, leading to cancer. He recommended that cancer patients or those seeking prevention should avoid salt, consume only organic foods, and increase their potassium intake.
Interestingly, Gerson also advocated coffee enemas to detoxify the liver through the colon. Critics may have dismissed his therapy due to the unpleasant nature of enemas, rather than its actual effectiveness.
Despite claims of recovery rates ranging from 70 to 90 percent, the Gerson Regimen has never received FDA approval as a cancer treatment. Some studies, however, have confirmed that elements of Gerson’s approach, such as consuming large quantities of fresh fruit juices, possess cancer-fighting properties. The effectiveness of the enemas, however, remains a topic of debate.
4. The Rand Vaccine
The bizarre tale of the Rand vaccine continues to intrigue both skeptics and health enthusiasts. Over the past century, numerous alternative cancer treatments have emerged and faded, but the Rand vaccine stands out as the only one developed by a major U.S. corporation.
In the 1960s, H.J. Rand, president of the Rand Corporation, believed he had identified a virus as the cause of cancer. The Rand Corporation, originally a branch of the renowned Douglas Aircraft Company and later a U.S. Army think tank, ventured into controversial territory with this theory. By the 1960s, the company’s focus had shifted dramatically.
Rand asserted that he had isolated the cancer-causing virus and developed a vaccine. This vaccine was tested on around 8,000 people in Ohio, with reportedly positive outcomes. However, after unverified reports surfaced of Rand distributing the vaccine without proper licensing, the FDA intervened in 1967. By 1968, Rand faced federal criminal charges, with additional legal action following in 1970.
During the peak of their experimentation, the Rand Corporation reportedly invested over $20 million into developing their cancer vaccine, yet achieved no success. Today, the Rand vaccine has largely faded into obscurity, despite evidence showing that viruses like HPV can indeed cause cancer.
3. CBD
In recent years, cannabidiol (CBD), a compound derived from cannabis sativa, has gained recognition as a potential miracle treatment. Numerous studies have shown its remarkable anti-inflammatory properties. Since inflammation is widely regarded as the underlying cause of nearly every disease affecting humans, CBD could indeed serve as a universal remedy for a wide range of health issues.
However, there’s a significant hurdle: Cannabis sativa remains classified as a Schedule I drug by the DEA. While CBD producers exploit legal loopholes to market their products, many users are uncertain whether treating conditions like diabetes, arthritis, or cancer with CBD is lawful.
This legal ambiguity has prompted some local law enforcement agencies to confiscate CBD products from health stores, arguing that these “hemp extracts” contain unlawful levels of THC. In December 2016, the DEA issued a “final rule” intended to clarify its stance on CBD, but it only added to the confusion.
Currently, CBD producers continue to distribute their products nationwide, with raids and confiscations being rare. However, many individuals suffering from conditions like Parkinson’s, dystonia, and neuralgia, who could benefit from this non-psychoactive compound, hesitate to use CBD due to fears of its illegality. The DEA’s handling of CBD demonstrates that outright prohibition isn’t necessary to discourage people from exploring alternative health solutions.
2. Kava
The Greek philosopher Paracelsus famously stated that any substance can be toxic in excessive amounts. However, the German government took this to an extreme in the early 2000s by banning kava root extract entirely, deeming it poisonous in any quantity. This ban was later lifted as experts questioned whether kava itself caused the liver-related deaths or if contaminants in specific batches were responsible.
Supporters of kava highlight its centuries-long use in South Pacific cultures without reported harm. Islanders continue to consume it for mood enhancement and stress relief, and it has been utilized in the West for over a century to treat social anxiety. Despite this, the FDA issued a warning in 2002 about kava’s potential risks to liver health.
While kava remains legal in the U.S. as a dietary supplement, if contaminated batches are indeed linked to liver damage, the FDA could better protect consumers by regulating kava more strictly rather than simply cautioning against its use without ensuring its safety.
1. Kratom
For centuries, kratom has been utilized in Southeast Asia to relieve pain, combat fatigue, and reduce anxiety. The dried leaves of the kratom tree are said to offer pain relief comparable to opioids but without the risk of overdose. In recent years, kratom has grown in popularity across the United States, much to the dismay of the FDA and DEA. These agencies have taken aggressive steps to restrict its use, including seizing imports, vilifying its effects, and attempting to classify it as a Schedule I substance.
In October 2016, a remarkable grassroots movement, amplified by social media, successfully halted efforts to ban kratom. Over 142,000 people signed a petition to keep kratom accessible, forcing the FDA to pause its plans and seek additional public input.
However, on February 6, 2018, FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb made a controversial statement labeling kratom as an opioid. While no immediate action has been taken to restrict its sale, this unexpected claim raises concerns for those relying on kratom as a safer alternative to harmful pharmaceutical opioids.
