New York, Nov. 3, 2008
How To Steer Clear Of Medical Traps Online
CBS Evening News: As More Patients Turn To The Internet For A Second Opinion, How Do You Know What's Bogus?
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(CBS/iStockphoto)
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When 45-year-old Melissa Offenhartz was diagnosed with cancer, she went straight to her computer. (CBS)
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This story was updated Dec. 18, 2008.
When 45-year-old Melissa Offenhartz was diagnosed with breast cancer last May, she went straight to her computer, CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook reports.
"I Googled everything from initial things I found on my mammogram report to little phrases, maybe, that my doctor had with me in conversation," she said.
As she surfed, she was soon lost in a sea of phony remedies. One site says: "Cancer can be cured and prevented naturally and scientifically."
And some seductive promises, like: "dynamic therapies" and "patient victories are happening every day."
"It's really a big ocean of information and pretty soon you almost feel like you're drowning," Offenhartz said.Read more from our partner in reporting this series, BusinessWeek.
Some Web sites sold anti-oxidants to boost her immune system. It sounded reasonable, but when she checked with her doctor, she learned she was about to make a big mistake.
"When in fact you're on chemotherapy, anti-oxidants are not something you should be taking, because anti-oxidants protect cells, and we don't want to be protecting those cancer cells from chemotherapy," she said.
Offenhartz was nearly tripped-up by bad medical advice on the Web … and she's a nurse!
"There are a lot of people out there trying to take advantage of cancer patients," said Barrie Cassileth, the chief of integrative medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering cancer center.
Cassileth has seen cancer patients harmed - even die - after being duped by fake online cures.
"I've seen patients go to clinics where they receive oxygen therapy for twenty thousand dollars and they have given up their children's college tuition fund, they've sold their homes, and they do this and it has zero value," she said.
Even treatments debunked decades ago, like Laetrile, made from fruit pits, are still easily bought online.
LaPook went to one of the many Web sites offering it, and said: "I'm ordering Laetrile for $19 plus $8.50 shipping."
About a week later, his Laetrile arrived.
"A few easy clicks of the mouse and I've got my cancer cure. Only problem is ... it's bogus," LaPook said.
"Laetrile was banned by the FDA," Cassileth said. "It's a useless treatment."
Regulators are cracking down on companies making fraudulent claims, and the FDA has sent out 35 warning letters citing more than 260 products, including Laetrile.
But officials say it's almost impossible to keep up with a marketplace so vast.
"We are constantly scouring the internet for illegal companies. Unfortunately, as soon as we can shut them down more pop up," said the FDA's Dr. Jason Woo.
So, here are some basic rules for searching medical information.
Some doctors say don't surf the Web at all. But the temptation can be irresistible.
"When I went to see my oncologist, she and her nurse actually both recommended that I stay off the computer," Offenhartz said.Second Opinion: Medicine Online
LaPook asked her: "So, what did you do?"
"I went online and searched!" she laughed.
The best advice is to include your doctor. Together you can figure out what information to trust and how it applies to you.
EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story online cited a testimonial from a website featuring a purported quote from Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D., which read "Conventional cancer therapy is so toxic and dehumanizing that I fear it far more than I fear death from cancer." The same quote appears on many websites patients may encounter while searching online medical advice. Moss contacted CBS News to say he never made the statement. CBS News confirms it was in fact made by Dr. Julian Whitaker in 1995 and not by Moss. We regret the inaccuracy.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Add a Comment See all 21 Comments
- Some of it we take for granted. The first diagnosis of the DSMIII is example that we can control Mental Disorders. Personel etal are granted restriction on their counterparts by NOT signifying that the first disorder is why authority is given pursuit. Our personalities are left on the way side. As our days control, this believes we are running into the disorder. Without "humanity" we have to start over. Without "Chlorine" we have no idea that the walk pnuemonia and other biologic bateria are fastening in our sewers. The histormines of third rate (like chiropratic) medical school are aiding them to walk. How much of our experts are we risking with going the ruote to organize without enough direction on prevention of misunderstanding?
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- To baileycc : Unfortunately diet, nutrition and healthy living is not a guarantee that you will not get cancer. So please stop being so smug. Yes, it can help reduce you risk, but Cancer is much more complicated than simple healthy living or lack of.
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- d7767w we might not be doctors passing out synthetic chemicals but we know enough about nutrition not to get cancer like you and your husband. You, my dear, are the true idiot.
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- Chemo is bad news. Its kills more than cancer cells. It is poison, plain and simple. One day we will probably find that it did as much good as old-fashioned so-called cures that killed millions. But we will have no recourse.
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- The FDA is so corrupt is isn''t even funny.Why else would they allow a drug called Aspartame to be used in drugs and foods?The original purpose of manufacture was for chemical warfare.But some shady actions by Donald Rumsfeld during the Reagan years led to approval by the FDA.Aspartame is used in diet drinks, artificial sweeteners, and many prescription drugs.What they don''t tell you are the terrifying effects this drug causes,and once they occur...they are permanent damage.Studies link the drug to causing diabetes, kidney damage, and cause patients to become allergic to medications being used while taking Aspartame.the American public has been being poisoned for about 20 years now,,,systematically being killed off,all with FDA approval, and the blessings of our government.
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- I liked the one poster that reminded us that Dr. Lapook recommended WebMD, a CBS commercial partner, as a good site to access health information online. WebMD is all about marketing.
While the blogosphere offers a unique opportunity to discuss a very complex topic in an open-ended forum, not all bloggers have alert readers. The blogosphere is clogged with posts that are silly, just plain nasty, and too often simply not true. Simple flamming commentary.
The interactive format allows rapid responses to medical and health care issues which frequently intertwine moral, ethical and legal concerns, and provides valuable feedback and commentary not available through traditional media.
Blogs are increasing the visibility of laypeople medical experts, who share tips about treatment and care giving from personal experience, and others have relied on them for straight talk about their health issues and bloggers often provide links to other blogs they favor.
Most of us are being responsible though it takes a great deal of character and perseverence. It is important that people study and manage their own problems. The blogger voice lives on and challenges an establishment of medicine and health care that is imperfect, but more importantly, refuses not to question conventional wisdom when it is wrong and accepted without thinking. - Reply to this comment
- There are cures that are available that are not synthetic drug related and do not deal with chemo(Radiation therapy that gives one cancer)that should be looked into. The fact that only the United States uses Chemo in the world is reason enough to find another way. Western medicine has failed us all.
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- From a consumer health librarian: Thank you to the librarian who pointed out the plug for WebMD but no mention of the premier health information site MedlinePlus. I spend time educating patients, family members and the general public how to find trustworthy health information online. The piece should have mentioned that librarians, the information professionals, assist people everyday to access quality health information. This information provided to the patient serves as a basis of discussion with their physician. Kudos on bringing the overall topic to the forefront but there is a vast amount of trustworthy health information online and librarians standing at the ready to help people in need.
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- There is a lot of truth to this article. I''d say 80% plus of what you find on the web regarding health is total bunk, including what the AMA says.
Also, there was a mention of ozone as being junk. I actually own an ozone generator and have to say the FDA and AMA are scared deathless of ozone because it would put them out of business.
Herbs work very well too, but you cannot rely on 80% of what you find on the web or what you buy in the store. They are made of the lowest quality cheapes$t herbs that can be bought, and are often made into formulas that theoretically would work. But don''t.
I''ve made some of my own formulas and they work really well, combined with a good diet. But most people aren''t willing to change the diet and lifestyle, and think buying a 19.99 bottle of cheap herbs is going to be the answer.
But yes, MOST of the info regarding health on the web is bunk, junk, waste of money gimmicky marketing.
It takes months to learn to separate the chaff from the wheat. But it can be done, and cancer as well as every other disease that the AMA and FDA say are incurable are curable. - Reply to this comment
- There is a lot of truth to this article. I''d say 80% plus of what you find on the web regarding health is total bunk, including what the AMA says.
Also, there was a mention of ozone as being junk. I actually own an ozone generator and have to say the FDA and AMA are scared deathless of ozone because it would put them out of business.
Herbs work very well too, but you cannot rely on 80% of what you find on the web or what you buy in the store. They are made of the lowest quality cheapes$t herbs that can be bought, and are often made into formulas that theoretically would work. But don''t.
I''ve made some of my own formulas and they work really well, combined with a good diet. But most people aren''t willing to change the diet and lifestyle, and think buying a 19.99 bottle of cheap herbs is going to be the answer.
But yes, MOST of the info regarding health on the web is bunk, junk, waste of money gimmicky marketing.
It takes months to learn to separate the chaff from the wheat. But it can be done, and cancer as well as every other disease that the AMA and FDA say are incurable are curable. - Reply to this comment
- interesting
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- Patient chats and other kinds of web focus groups give all kinds of contradictory information, yet occasionally they come up with important experiential information. You just have to be smart and critical to sort through it properly, which means a lot of folk will be misled.
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- "When in fact you''re on chemotherapy, anti-oxidants are not something you should be taking, because anti-oxidants protect cells, and we don''t want to be protecting those cancer cells from chemotherapy," she said.
That is not factually correct. The only clinical trials that have evaluated the interaction between chemotherapeutic drugs and vitamins C and/or E have not shown harm. That is not to say that there is definitely never any problem in combining those, but the physician who gave that advice should read his or her journals more closely. Check PubMed for real, unvarnished scientific observations. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by tootall1014 at 10:07
Sorry to criticize you, but that was not very ethical to take your money back, but do nothing to protect other people.. Kind of selfish, dont you think ? - Reply to this comment
- From a medical and consumer health librarian: Dr. Lapook''s report was excellent until the end when he recommended WebMD(a CBS commercial partner) as a good site to access health information online. WebMD is all about marketing. Dr. Lapook should have steered people toward Medlineplus.gov and national health organization sites like the AHA, ACS, and ADA. Finally, he should have suggested people contact their local hospital librarians who know the best websites for quality medical and health information.
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- This must be a politicians business they are all useless.
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- I saw this report in the United Kingdom last night on the rebroadcast of the CBS News we have at 12.30am on Sky News. Why not point US web-users to our nhsdirect.nhs.uk website which is a Government approved and run website to complement our Government funded and run universal health service. As this is a state service there is no advertising by quacks or con merchants and its very easy to use. I''m assuming that non-UK computer users can access it. Other English language countries in the Commonwealth of Nations such as Canada may have similar government run websites and others not in the Commonwealth (ie the Republic of Ireland) may also have such sites.
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- It''s lucrative promising miracles to desperate people. Just like weight loss pills.
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- Of course doctors don''t want their patients searching the web for medical information! It would put them right out-of-business! Why do you think there are no cures for certain ailments? If people didn''t get sick, there''d be no need for doctors or pharmaceutical companies!
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- Of course doctors don''t want their patients searching the web for medical information! It would put them right out-of-business! Why do you think there are no cures for certain ailments? If people didn''t get sick, there''d be no need for doctors or pharmaceutical companies!
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