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Consumer Health Digest #15-28July 19, 2015
Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by Stephen Barrett, M.D
http://www.quackwatch.org/10Bio/bio.html,with help from William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H
http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/william-m-londonIt summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; news reports; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making.
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Bradstreet search warrant postedThe Washington Post has published additional details about the death of Jeff Bradstreet, M.D., who was found in a river with a gunshot wound to the chest. The local sheriff has attributed the death to suicide, but Bradstreet's family has hired detectives to investigate whether he was murdered.
[Miller, ME. The mysterious death of a doctor who peddled autism 'cures' to thousands
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/07/16/the-mysterious-death-of-a-doctor-who-peddled-autism-cures-to-thousands/Washington Post, July 16, 2015]
Bradstreet reportedly treated thousands of autistic children with Globulin component Macrophage Activating Factor (GcMAF), a drug that lacked FDA approval. In February, the British government seized more than 10,000 vials of GcMAF from Bradstreet's supplier, First Immune, an unlicensed pharmacy located in the United Kingdom. On June 18, the day before Bradstreet died, agents from the FDA and the Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency raided Bradstreet's Georgia office and seized vials of GcMAF, medical records, lists of clients and associated companies, computers, and financial records. The search warrant
http://www.quackwatch.org/11Ind/bradstreet/warrant.pdfhas been posted to Quackwatch.
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Many herbs and dietary supplements fail ingredient testsConsumerLab.com
http://www.consumerlab.com/index.asp?claffid=101024http://www.consumerlab.com/,which has tested over 4,500 products since November 1999, has found that, through July 2015, 20% of the vitamins and minerals, 43 percent of the herbals, 21% of other supplements, and 24% of nutritional powders and drinks failed their evaluations. The most common problem was too little or none of the main ingredient. The other problems included too much active ingredient; the wrong ingredient; potentially dangerous or illegal ingredients; contamination with heavy metals; "spiking" with unexpected ingredients; poor disintegration (which affects absorption); and misleading or incomplete product information.
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Roots of anti-vaccine movement chronicledThe Atlantic has published a fascinating article about the struggle over mandatory smallpox vaccination that began during the 19th century and still has parallels today.
[Earl E. The Victorian anti-vaccination movement
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/07/victorian-anti-vaccinators-personal-belief-exemption/398321/?source=acsh.orgThe Atlantic, July 15, 2015]
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Cancer scammer arrested in CaliforniaVincent Gammill, of Richmond, California, has been charged with practicing medicine without a license.
[Man arrested for practicing medicine without a license
http://www.vcsd.org/press-release.php?id=1326Ventura County Sheriff's Office press release, July 9, 2015]
Gammill, who has no recognized health-related training or credentials, has operated the Natural Oncology Institute
http://www.natural-oncology.org/,formerly called the Center for the Study of Natural Oncology (CSNO), since 2001. According to its Web site, "CSNO commissions its own studies in areas where knowledge is lacking" and "after reviewing all research available to assist the client in making an educated decision about their health plan and finding the best course of treatment for their specific situation." Gammill also claims to have cured himself of widely metastatic colon cancer. The Sheriff's action was triggered by a complaint from a woman who said she had paid him $2,000 after he promised to cure her cancer.
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Continuing request for help from Dr. Barrett
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Continuing request for help from Dr. BarrettIn June 2010, Doctor's Data, Inc. sued Dr. Barrett because it didn't like what he wrote about them on Quackwatch and in this newsletter. The events leading up to the suit are described at
http://www.quackwatch.org/14Legal/dd_suit.htmlIn November, 2011, about half of the allegations were dismissed, but discovery was permitted for more than a year. The rest of the suit is ripe for dismissal (the court is now considering another motion to dismiss), but the proceedings have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even small donations, if sent by enough subscribers to this newsletter, will be very helpful. Contributions to reduce the cost can be made by mail or through
http://www.quackwatch.org/00AboutQuackwatch/donations.html###
Other issues of the Digest are accessible through
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=================================
Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Consumer Advocate
Chatham Crossing, Suite 107/208
11312 U.S. 15 501 North
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Telephone: (919) 533-6009
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http://www.vcsd.org/press-release.php?id=1326[*quote*]
Man Arrested for Practicing Medicine Without a License7/16/2015 4:00:00 PM
Nature of Incident: Man Arrested for Practicing Medicine Without a License
Report Number: 15-13077
Location: Richmond, CA
Date & Time: July 9, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.
Unit(s) Responsible:
Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit
Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
(S) Vincent Gammill El Cerrito, CA 69
(V) Female Adult Thousand Oaks, CA 49
Narrative:
On July 9, 2015, the Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit (PCU) with the assistance of the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office concluded an investigation into the unlawful practice of medicine by a Northern California man with the service of search warrants and an arrest.
During the month of June 2015, an adult female with late stage cancer reported to deputies at the Thousand Oaks East County Sheriff's Station she had been harmed and scammed out of thousands of dollars from a man purporting to be able to treat her cancer. The victim had seen Gammill's website on the internet in 2009 and planned on seeking treatment from him as a last resort if all traditional medical efforts to cure her cancer had failed.
In June 2015, the victim traveled to Gammill's office located at 3065 Richmond Parkway Suite 101, in Richmond, California. While at the office, Gammill examined the victim and gave her an in-depth explanation of how he was going to treat her cancer. He also advised her to alter the dosing of the medication her primary physician had prescribed her. Gammill demanded payment of $2,000.00 for his services (16 hours of consultation and treatment), which she paid to him. Gammill then provided the victim with multiple plastic "ziploc" baggies containing different powders, empty capsules, vials of liquids, commercially produced medications with expired shelf life dates (including medications labeled in Russian) and a baggie of dirt. Gammill provided her with instructions on how to prepare the items for consumption. At one point in the visit Gammill brought out a large frying pan and commented that one of the compounds could burn a hole through the table. Gammill proceeded to instruct the victim how to mix the compound over the frying pan and she followed his instructions. The mixture was placed into a capsule and the victim ingested the substance. She began to get a burning sensation in her stomach and Gammill told the victim it was good her stomach was burning because that meant the ingredients were still active.
Based on the victim's statement, the PCU began an investigation into Gammill's practices. Investigators found Gammill's website at
http://natural-oncology.org/ and learned he offered, 'alternative and complementary care for those with cancer, to communicate this knowledge to individuals and practitioners and to provide practical assistance and support to those with cancer.' Investigators did not locate a record of Gammill having any medical training.
On July 9, 2015, Investigators from the PCU and the Detectives from the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office arrested Gammill at his business for practicing medicine without a license, dependent adult abuse, and furnishing dangerous drugs without a license. Investigators served search warrants at his office and his home located in the 2600 block of Tamalpais Avenue, in El Cerrito, California. Upon entering the business, Detectives found laboratory equipment and bottles labeled corrosive and poison. The Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials team was called out to inspect the scene and render it safe. Detectives located over 25,000 prescription pills including Morphine, Ambien, Steroids, and Mexican and Russian drugs at both locations. Gammill told Detectives he offered alternative options to the traditional treatment of cancer. He also initially stated he had no formal education beyond high school, but then 'remembered' he had obtained a doctor of science degree sometime in the 1990's.
Gammill was booked into custody at the Contra Costa County Jail and is scheduled to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on August 31, 2015.
The Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit and the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office are seeking any additional victims in this case. Southern California residents may contact the PCU at (805) 383-8700 or email at pharm.tip@ventura.org. Northern California residents may contact the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office Detective Bureau at (925) 313- 2600.
The Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit is a task force comprised of members from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Simi Valley Police Department, the District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, and the Health Quality Investigation Unit of the California Division of Investigation. The primary mission of the task force is combatting the transfer of legal prescription medication to the illegal market. In addition, the task force works to identify and stop new trends of abuse among the younger population and investigates overdose deaths due to both prescription medication and illicit drug use.
Prepared by: Sergeant Victor Fazio
News Release Date: July 16, 2015
Media Follow-Up Contact:
Detective Robert Davidson
(805) 947-8705
robert.davidson@ventura.org
Approved by:
Captain Curt Rothschiller Ventura County Sheriff's Office
Lt. Kristi Butterfield Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department
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© Copyright 2013 Ventura County Sheriff's Office
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