Shark cartilage in the water: Effective legislation is already in place but is not being properly used

doi:10.1136/bmj.39051.725162.3A

BMJ 2006;333:1222 (9 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.39051.725162.3A

Letters

Shark cartilage in the water

Effective legislation is already in place but is not being properly used

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

Waxman has identified the need for effectivelegislation to protect vulnerable cancer patients from unprovenand/or harmful cancer remedies.¹

The UK 1939 Cancer Act in section 4.1 prohibitsthe publication of any advertisement containing an offer totreat any person for cancer.

I have now made successful use of this legislationin relation to patients who have used cancer therapies thathave been advertised in both the complementary health sectorand by registered medical practitioners associated with a registeredpharmacy.² ³

If doctors identify complementary practitioners,commercial companies, or even registered health professionalswho are advertising cancer remedies they should contact theirlocal trading standards department, who have a responsibilityto enforce the act. In the case of registered medical practitioners,the General Medical Council should also be notified.

Charles B Shepherd, physician

¹ Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 8EH charlesbshepherd@lineone.net

Competing interests: None declared.

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Dyer O. British company fined for falling foul of Cancer Act. BMJ 1994;308:158.[Free Full Text]
Campbell D. "Quackery" outlawed in registered pharmacy. BMJ 1997;315:625.[Web of Science][Medline]