Amazon criticized for promoting phony anticancer vitamin
TruthInAdvertising.org has found that Amazon steers customers to purchase the phony vitamin, B17, which is another name for amygdalin, a chemical constituent of apricot pits that was debunked in the 80s as an “alternative” cancer treatment. [B17.
TINA.org, Dec 10, 2020] The organization reported:
- The first autocomplete suggestion for “B17” on Amazon.com was “b17 vitamin for cancer.”
- Searching “b17 vitamin for cancer” yielded no less than 232 results, including dozens of books.
- Many listings contained testimonials from people who say the products helped treat or cure their cancer or a loved one’s cancer even though companies are prohibited from making claims through consumer testimonials that they could not make directly.
- This past August, three people in New Zealand were hospitalized after consuming raw apricot kernels.
- In 2017 an Australian man taking an apricot kernel extract as part of a prostate cancer treatment regimen ended up in the hospital with cyanide poisoning.
- In 2019, after customers had complained of “severe poisoning,” the FDA arrested a U.S.-based apricot seed vendor for repeatedly refusing to stop selling his products as a cancer cure in violation of a court order
###
Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Consumer Advocate
287 Fearrington Post
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Telephone: (919) 533-6009
http://www.quackwatch.org (health fraud and quackery)
http://www.allergywatch.org (guide to questionable theories and practices)
http://www.acuwatch.org (skeptical guide to acupuncture history, theories, and practices)
http://www.autism-watch.org (guide to autism)
http://www.cancertreatmentwatch.org (guide to intelligent treatment)
http://www.casewatch.net (legal archive)
http://www.chelationwatch.org (chelation therapy)
http://www.chirobase.org (skeptical guide to chiropractic history, theories, and practices)
http://www.credentialwatch.org (guide to health-related education and training)
http://www.dentalwatch.org (guide to dental care)
http://www.devicewatch.org (guide to questionable medical devices)
http://www.dietscam.org (guide to weight-control schemes and ripoffs)
http://www.fibrowatch.org (guide to the fibromyalgia marketplace) http://www.homeowatch.org (guide to homeopathy)
http://www.ihealthpilot.org (guide to trustworthy health information)
http://www.insurancereformwatch.org (guide to an equitable health-care system)
http://www.infomercialwatch.org (guide to infomercials)
http://www.mentalhealthwatch.org (guide to the mental help marketplace)
http://www.mlmwatch.org (multi-level marketing)
http://www.naturowatch.org (skeptical guide to naturopathic history, theories, and practices)
http://www.nccamwatch.org (activities of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
http://www.nutriwatch.org (nutrition facts and fallacies)
http://www.pharmwatch.org (guide to the drug marketplace and lower prices)
http://www.ncahf.org (National Council Against Health Fraud archive)
Filed under: #!!# |
Hans Howe 
