Beware of Health Scams

You see ads for miracle drugs everywhere these days—supplements that claim to stop or reverse aging, or make aches and pains disappear like magic! You might even see statements like, “This treatment cured my cancer in 1 week.” They appear to offer hope, but they aren’t true.

Today, there are more ways than ever to sell untested products—online, TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers are just a few examples. Actors portray doctors and patients on infomercials. You might even get an email urging you to try a product. It can be hard to tell what’s an ad.

The problem is serious. Untested remedies may be harmful. They may get in the way of medicines prescribed by your doctor. They may be expensive and a waste of money. And, sometimes, using these products keeps people from getting the medical treatment they need.

False Hopes

Why do people fall for these sales pitches? Unproven remedies promise false hope. Ads where people say they have been cured do not prove that a product works. They offer solutions that appear to be quick and painless. At best, these treatments are worthless. At worst, they are dangerous.

Health scams set their sights on people who are scared or in pain. It’s easy to see why a person might be tempted to believe in the promise of a miracle remedy. Living with a chronic health problem is hard.

Health scams usually target diseases that may have treatments for symptoms but currently have no cures. You may see ads for:

• Anti-aging therapies. Our culture places great value on staying young, but aging is normal. Pills or other treatments for endless youth have not been scientifically proven to slow or reverse the aging process. Eating a healthy diet, not smoking, and getting regular exercise or staying physically active are ways to really help prevent some of the diseases that occur with age. In other words, making healthy choices offers you the best chance for aging well.
• Arthritis remedies. You may see claims that treatments with magnets, copper bracelets, chemicals, special diets, radiation, and other products can cure arthritis. This is highly unlikely. Unproven arthritis remedies can be easy to believe because symptoms of arthritis tend to come and go. There is no cure for most forms of arthritis. Rest, exercise, heat, and some drugs help many people control their symptoms. If you are thinking about any new treatment, such as a diet, a device, or another arthritis product, talk with your doctor first.
• Cancer cures. Scam artists prey on a fear of cancer. They promote treatments with no proven value. There is no one treatment that cures all types of cancer. By using unproven methods, people with cancer may lose valuable time and the chance to benefit from a proven, effective treatment. This delay may lessen the chance of controlling or curing the disease.
• Memory aids. Many people worry about losing their memory as they age. So-called smart pills, removal of amalgam dental fillings, and some brain training programs are examples of untested approaches that falsely promise to keep or improve memory.
• Dietary supplements. People spend billions of dollars each year on dietary supplements. They are often sold over-the-counter, without a prescription, and include vitamins and minerals, amino acids, herbs, and enzymes. Most dietary supplements are not fully tested to make sure they are safe and do what they promise. While some vitamins may be helpful, supplements may be bad for people taking certain medicines or with some medical conditions. Be wary of claims that a supplement can shrink tumors, solve impotence, or cure Alzheimer’s disease. Talk to your doctor before starting any supplement.
• Health insurance. Some companies offer health insurance coverage that promises more than it intends to deliver. When you think about buying health insurance, remember to find out if the company and agent are licensed in your state, territory or province.

How Can You Protect Yourself From Health Scams?

Be skeptical. Question what you see or hear in ads or online. Newspapers, magazines, movies, and radio and TV stations do not always check to make sure the claims in their ads are true or say if a celebrity is being paid to endorse a product. Ask your doctor, nurse, other healthcare provider, or pharmacist about a product before you buy it. Don’t let a salesperson talk you into making a snap decision. Look for red flags in ads or promotional material that:

• Promise a quick or painless cure
• Claim the product is made from a special, secret, or ancient formula F Offer products and services only by mail or from one company
• Use statements or unproven case histories from so-called satisfied patients
• Claim to be a cure for a wide range of ailments
• Claim to cure a disease (such as arthritis or Alzheimer’s disease) that hasn’t been cured by medical science
• Promise a no-risk, money-back guarantee
• Offer an additional free gift or a larger amount of the product as a special promotion
• Require advance payment and claim there is a limited supply of the product

National Institute on Aging
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
September 2008

This publication sourced from the National Institute on Aging.