Clampdown on cancer scammers
Reported February 20, 2009
Federal officials announced yesterday they have successfully stopped a Canadian company from making “unsubstantiated claims” that its products can cure or treat cancer.
The announcement is part of a wider crackdown, called Project False Hope, launched by the Competition Bureau last year to protect vulnerable Canadians, including cancer patients, from dozens of companies willing to exploit those weaknesses to sell treatments or services, which are often very costly and have little or no evidence of working.
“We’ve seen products such as creams, pills, herbal teas, medical devices,” said Tagreed Boules, senior competition law officer at the Competition Bureau. “We’ve seen all kinds of claims: cure your cancer, treat your cancer, help with cancer treatment symptoms. They’re very creative.”
Since Project False Hope was launched last March, the bureau has worked with Health Canada, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, among others, to take action against nearly 100 Canadian-operated sites making cancer prevention or treatment claims.
Instead of pursuing binding enforcement action against the companies, which can be time-consuming, the bureau opted to request the companies remove claims it deemed to be fraudulent or misleading.
In more than 90 per cent of cases, the companies agreed to voluntarily remove the claims. Companies are also free to submit any evidence they believe can prove claims of cancer prevention or treatment.
Yesterday’s announcement involved an Edmonton-based company, Bioenergy Wellness Inc., which operates under the name EnergyWorks Wellness Centre. The company negotiated an agreement with the Competition Bureau to stop making cancer claims. Ms. Boules said she couldn’t discuss the specific details of the case or how the agreement was reached.
A call to the company’s Edmonton number was not returned.
The products in question include the papimi, a device the company says delivers radiation-free, non-thermal magnetic pulses into body tissue; a magnapulse, which is also supposed to deliver magnetic pulses to the body; and an infrared sauna, a device contained in a tent-like chamber that emits heat and infrared rays to the user.
The products – particularly the papimi and magnapulse – have already been the subject of controversy in the United States and Britain and appear to be available for purchase on various Internet sites. The Edmonton company has put corrective notices on its websites offering refunds to customers.
Ms. Boules said Canadians should seek professional medical advice before buying into cancer prevention or treatment claims found online.
“People targeted by claims are very vulnerable,” she said.
