THE HEALTH PRODUCTS Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is investigating the use of a so-called “miracle cure” for cancer.
Quantities of the drug are suspected to have been brought into the country recently, including by people suffering with cancer who are pinning hopes of a cure on it.
Several videos, seen by this publication, show Irish people displaying vials which are claimed to contain GcMAF, and preparing the drug for injection.
Users of private social media groups based in Ireland have also been sharing tips on how to bring the drug into the country, according to posts seen by The Journal.
Globulin component Macrophage Activating Factor (GcMAF) is a blood product that is often sold online as a treatment for a range of conditions, including cancer. However, there is no scientific basis to support these medicinal claims.
It is not an authorised medicine and, therefore, has not been tested for safety, quality and effectiveness, according to the HPRA.
While there have been no seizures of the drug over the last three years, the HPRA said that it is aware of the people’s interest in the drug in Ireland and recommended that anyone taking the product should seek professional medical advice as soon as possible.
It is primarily being brought into the jurisdiction from North America, it is understood.
“The HPRA is aware that Irish patients may have purchased GcMAF online from websites operating outside the jurisdiction,” a statement said.
“The HPRA consistently stresses the dangers of buying unauthorised medicines online which could potentially pose a significant risk to health.
“There is no guarantee as to the safety, quality or effectiveness of this unauthorised and unproven product.
“We would advise anybody needing treatment to seek professional medical advice and to only purchase medicines from trusted and regulated sources.
“People who have purchased this product, should not start treatment. People currently taking the product should seek the advice of their GP or other health professional as soon as possible.”
Members of the HPRA’s investigative teams continue to probe leads on people buying and potentially selling the illegal and dangerous products online.
Many international drug enforcement agencies have also infiltrated chat rooms and social media groups where people talk about how and where to get GcMAF.
GcMAF is the active ingredient of the drug, and it is sold under various brand names. It is not authorised in Ireland and can be seized by officials if discovered. It is also illegal to attempt to smuggle unlicensed drugs into Ireland from another country.
The drug has been in the headlines a number of times in recent years. In 2018, English businessman David Noakes was jailed for 15 months in the UK for his role in an organisation manufacturing and selling GcMAF.
During the trial, the court heard how 75% of patients who took the drug suffered side effects with one woman telling the court that she nearly died from taking the bogus cure.
That woman said she went into toxic shock and required “endless” trips to the hospital. One customer said she went into “toxic shock” and “almost died numerous times”.
Other side effects of using the drug included headaches, nausea, and abdominal pain, the court was told.
What is GcMAF?
There was an initial buzz about GcMAF in medical circles around 2008 when several medical papers reported on the efficacy of it on cancer patients. The vast majority of these papers have since been retracted due to lack of evidence to support the authors’ claims.
An 1997 study on mice with transplanted cancer cells claimed that GcMAF prolonged the rodents’ lives. GcMAF was later tested on humans – however, there were multiple problems with that study and it was later retracted by medical journals.
GcMAF has been a problem for health services across the world for around a decade. The HPRA itself issued a warning in 2015 about the drug and its use here.
A quick online search showed there were a significant number of websites accessible from Ireland offering to sell GcMAF under different brand names. ‘Testimonials’ which could not be verified by this publication claim to have seen the product work well.
International sellers claim that they can ship the product anywhere in the world. Prices for the medication start at around €200 for a month’s supply.
Right now, there is no specific law which targets people who try to advertise these alleged cures in Ireland.
Former Fine Gael TD Kate O’Connell had submitted a private members bill to address the situation. However, this Bill lapsed following the dissolution of the Dáíl in early 2020. O’Connell lost her seat in that year’s election.
Asked whether similar legislation may be brought forward, a Department of Health spokesperson said: “The Treatment of Cancer (Advertisements) Bill 2018 was a private members bill that has lapsed. As it was a private members bill the Department has no further comment on its re-publication.
“The Department can reiterate that protection of vulnerable patients from false and misleading claims is also provided by the following:
In a statement to The Journal, The Irish Cancer Society urged anyone with a cancer diagnosis to stick to professional advice, adding that the increased amount of information available online currently makes it more difficult to ensure patient safety.
A spokesperson said: “It can be hard for patients to navigate the vast amount of information that exists around cancer treatments and understand the benefits, what is safe and what risks are involved. Through our specialist cancer nurses on our Support Line and through our Daffodil Centres, we can help.
“Our nurses can provide one to one support and talk through the options people are considering. We urge anyone who is planning to or who has used medication outside of the recommendation of their Irish clinical team, to call us on 1800 200 700 for non-judgemental advice.”
Our colleagues at Noteworthy want to find out if we are adequately protecting cancer patients from fake cancer cures. See how you can support this project here.
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