In general, be VERY skeptical of claims that herbal or alternative therapies can replace insulin treatment in cats or dogs. Please note that many of the charlatans and scammers discussed in this article had ads appearing on this wiki. See the phrases they use to try to hook you at Ad scams and Ad scams 2.
Some direct quotes from an abstract from Ohio State University about alternative treatments:[1] | |
---|---|
"Quackery is defined as "Promotion, for profit, of devices, services, plans or products that do not work, or which are untested."
"Quackery can delay a person from seeking care for their pet’s problem, be dangerous itself, and delay legitimate research to find an effective cure." "Be wary of "experts" who say that:
|
Some advice from the US Federal Trade Commission on how to spot false claims in health care products: [2] | |
---|---|
"When evaluating health-related claims, be skeptical. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Here are some signs of a fraudulent claim:
|
New Scammer on the Block-"Alternative Treatment #10"
"Alternative Treatment #10" is basically a re-hash of the other "diabetes treatments" for pets mentioned here, but with a Chinese twist. As is customary with these online scams, there's also a website promoting these types of "treatments" for people. Here's what the operator has written about him/herself:
- "53 years old...and a corporate burnout"
Attempting to place an order and not continuing with it gets you a "help" number in the 619 area code [3]-San Diego area. "This area code currently covers the southern half of the city of San Diego and its eastern and southern suburbs." [3]
Someone claiming to be "Pawhealer" filed a complaint about the content of the Ad scams 2 page on August 15, 2010. The complaint and reply can be seen here.
Website Fine Print
Let's have a look at the website's fine print at the bottom of each page:
"Disclaimer: The products offered on this web site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease. "The information and statements presented on this site have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The use of herbs and essential oil for the prevention, treatment, mitigation or cure of disease has not been approved by the FDA or USDA. We therefore make no claims to this effect. "We are not veterinarians or doctors. The information on this site is based on the traditional and historic use of herbs as well as personal experience and is provided for general reference and educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, prescribe or promote any direct or implied health claims. This information is and products are not intended to replace professional veterinary and/or medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your vet and/or doctor. We present the products on this site and the information supplied here without guarantees, and we disclaim all liability in connection with the use of these products and/or information. Any person making the decision to act upon this information is responsible for investigating and understanding the effects of their own actions." |
Not much different than "Alternative Treatment #5's
From the fine print at the bottom of all Alternative Treatment #5's website pages:"These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information on this Web site or in emails is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care." |
Or "Alternative Treatment #9's
Some enlightening information from their "Terms" page: "Your use of this site is at your sole risk. The products, information, services and other content provided through this site or any provided link, are provided for informational purposes only...You agree that our Company shall not be liable for any damages of any kind arising out of or relating to the use of any products or services, for any incorrect or inaccurate information, for any defective products or any other matter relating to this site or a linked site." "We do not manufacture any of the products listed on our web sites. The product information on this web site is reproduced from information provided by the manufacturers and we do not warrant or represent that all of the information is complete or accurate. No efforts have been made to verify the claims made by the manufacturers. No information or claims take the place of the advice of a professional medical practitioner." |
We go back to the claims all of the scammers make when trying to sell non-insulin diabetes treatments: "Normalize insulin secretions". Anyone with type 1 diabetes is no longer able to secrete enough insulin NOT to require injections of it unless he/she receives a beta cell transplant.
|
All of these websites claim to be providing information and/or education only and that the products they are selling do not treat diseases. If the claim about the scam sites being for information/education only was true, there would be no need to sell products on them at all.
References
- ↑ Nutriceutical, Alternative and Complementary Therapies. Ohio State University.
- ↑ 'Miracle' Health Claims: Add a Dose of Skepticism. US Federal Trade Commission.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Area Code 619. Wikipedia.