What is the Predatory Health (PH) sector 

This broad term, which Medika has coined for convenience, encompasses practitioners from almost all the fields of healthcare and includes the complimentary and alternate health (alt-Health) sectors,

For clarification, the alt-Health sector we refer to includes Complimentary and Alternate Health (CAM) – which includes fields like homeopathy and chiropractic – and is far less strictly regulated. The same is true of the other included sectors under this heading, including but not limited to, the natural products and supplement market, new age life coaches, and the grey area of unregulated health (medical) devices. 

The alt-Health sector tends to far more representative of Predatory Health practices. Traditional medicine is broadly regulated and therefore less susceptible to the quackery of PH, but by no means immune to its perpetrators.

Predatory Health practitioners gravitate towards the alt-Health sector, attracted by lax regulation and the vast legally grey areas that allow them to operate and ply their wares almost with impunity. 

The more outlandish and non-traditional the peddled cure or treatment becomes, the more likely the PH practitioner is to gravitate away from traditional medicine by embracing these fields, where their cohort welcomes them with open arms. 

What does a Predatory Health practitioner sell?

Their main product is intangible. They are selling hope, albeit false, something terminal patients and those afflicted with conditions like chronic pain are desperate for. These patients cling to the hope of finding some relief or miracle cure and the predatory health market preys on this. Below is a non-exhaustive list of the typical markets (marks) and strategies these individuals exploit with their health cons.

• Offering miracle cures, treatments, and relief to the terminally ill. Cancer patients are a favored target, but any deadly disease offers these quacks the opportunity to peddle their dangerous and untested wares.
• If you or your child suffers from conditions like autism, you are a primary target. Support groups, especially closed groups on Telegram, Facebook, and other social media groups offer these practitioners the opportunity to exploit you in relative safety. Be wary of any individuals offering treatments for conditions that do not have known medical remedy.
• Chronic pain sufferers are a massive target for Predatory Health. They have an unlimited number of relatively safe, but ineffective treatments and natural products they can peddle to you. It isn’t in their interest to kill their cash cow, but there are unscrupulous merchants who will offer you products that are known to be very dangerous and sometimes fatal
• Obesity, eczema, high blood pressure, influenza, and covid. The list is endless as are the techniques and strategies these unscrupulous merchants will engage to appear legitimate.
• Mental Health is also catered for with New Age life courses offering all sorts of benefits from attending costly online seminars and retreats. It is hocus pocus and has no foundation in solid science. None of these things will cure your chronic pain, cancers, or autism.
• Machines claiming to offer some sort of medical benefit, some working on sound, some using vibration, and others still, claiming amazing unvalidated results and health benefits. Never, ever take endorsements at face value. If these devices actually worked, don’t you think your doctors would be using them?
• The exploitation of misguided activist groups like anti-vaxers to further promote their sales. More damage is done to the cause of vaccines by these individuals than any other group combined. It serves the interests of Predotory Health to promote distrust in traditional medicine.

False Prophets and Fake Prophets

There is a distinction between the two and in the examples and names I will highlight below, most occupy one camp or the other. 

False prophets are usually doctors and medically trained individuals who, for unknown reasons, have latched onto treatments that are not evidence-based and they believe, without conclusive medical evidence to support their beliefs, in the safety and efficacy of the treatments they peddle. 

Belief is a dangerous drug and the sustenance of religion. It has no place in evidence-based medicine. 

Fake prophets, on the other hand, are under no such illusions. They know full well the potential dangers and risks of the products or treatments they peddle. They are highly skilled at manipulating marketing channels to ensure they reach their potential ‘marks’ and will often possess no formal medical training. 

Both are equally dangerous. The fake prophets are usually limited to the alt-Health markets and prefer this environment as it allows for greater freedom to ply their deadly wares. 

It is important to note that sales may not be the only motivating factor that drives certain Predatory Health practitioners. It can simply be a desire to spread disinformation, or, as they may see it, deeply insightful information they have come upon. These are possibly the most disruptive and dangerous voices from within the Predatory Health sector as they enable and empower the real charlatans by creating doubt in people’s minds. 

Take for instance Dr Christiane Northrup, whose divergence from a reasonably distinguished medical career in women’s health has been abrupt and complete. Her adoption of conspiracy theories, 5G cell towers, microchips in vaccines, and other nonsensical rantings on YouTube and social media beggars belief.

Whatever her motivation, this doctor enjoys a broad following on social media, and her voice has impact. I have no doubt whatsoever that her rantings will result in eventual deaths. People avoiding the Covid vaccine because of baseless lies, people not inoculating their children, and an avoidance of traditional medicine because of the distrust she sows. She epitomizes the False Prophet. 

Meet the Predatory Health Practitioners

The names below are linked to Medika’s Quack Scale, a tool designed to enable the public to identify quacks and charlatans operating in the Predatory Health sector. 

The other end of the scale (Fake Prophets) is occupied by individuals like Dr Fitt, a marketing pseudonym for a disgraced doctor, Roby Mitchell, who now peddles bleach treatments and enemas to autistic children from his base in Texas. Purely driven by financial gain, Mitchell ranks among the bottom feeders in the world of predatory health. 

Dr. Kerri Rivera is another example of a doctor gone bad. Her exploitation of vulnerable mental health patients for profit is well documented and her association with Sayer Ji, an alt-Health proponent who used to sell health foods, has resulted in them spewing a sea of misinformation on Covid and other medical topics. Once again, their motivation is the sale of their products and treatments ay any cost

Kelly Brogan, Joseph Mercola, Zach Bush, the list is as endless as it is dangerous and the reason it grows daily is simply this. Money. There are fortunes to be made in the alt-Health sector, particularly if you claim to have the “cure for Covid” marketed of course as a drug or treatment to boost your immune system against influenza viruses. The FDA might be watching.

Millions of dollars change hands daily, paid over freely by those duped into believing the lies. Often, customers also pay with their lives. 

The individuals who engage in Predatory Health are willing to risk being caught. The system grinds slowly and by the time the FDA catches up with them, the damage is already done. Their message is out there and they simply move the supply of their “toxins” to less mainstream channels. Loopholes and blindspots in current U.S legislation leave room enough to drive buses through. The system offers little more negligible punitive fines and smacks on the wrist, which are not a deterrent.

This is the nature of predatory health and it isn’t always easy to spot. Particularly if your desperation and need for relief or hope outweigh your common sense.

Buying from a “large” business isn’t always a guarantee of safety either. Take the following company Phoenix Biotechnology, whose aggressive marketing campaign to sell a “natural extract” called Oleander 4x is a textbook case of manipulating the health market to promote sales of a product that can potentially cause death. 

Through the misrepresentation and manipulation of clinical studies, they have produced the illusion of medical acceptance and the latest FDA warning issued against them for offering their toxin as a treatment for Covid has exposed the true nature of their business. 

Many other similar companies operate below the radar for years in relative safety, selling and enabling Predatory Health practitioners by making their fake treatments and products available to a global market. 

It is a monumental problem that the healthcare industry and the American government can no longer afford to ignore. Every Predatory Health practitioner we allow to operate, particularly those who still have a foot firmly placed in traditional medicine, bring disrepute to the industry. 

They encourage mistrust of conventional treatments to the detriment of many critically-ill people. The formally qualified quacks breach the oath they have taken and a legal option must be explored to permanently strip them of their qualifications and the right to their use.

Many of these individuals took an oath and their actions are a clear breach of this oath, thereby rendering the conditions of the degree null and void. Simply removing their right to practice is an insufficient response and continues to endanger public health. Where clear intent to harm and deceive is established, the full force of the law should be brought to bear on these quacks.

Legislation enabling medical boards to act more aggressively against medical professionals in the predatory health sector is desperately needed on a federal level. It is in the interests of public safety and in the continued interests of maintaining credulity in existing public healthcare institutions.

Dealing with alt-Health

Policing the alt-Health sector requires an entirely different approach which may include clear legal guidelines of operation, enforceable by institutions like the FDA. This is simply one mechanism though, and the problem will require a multi-faceted approach. 

What compounds the complexity of the problem is the alt-Health sector itself. There are definite and real health benefits to certain treatments and therapies offered by the sector. Recognizing, regulating, and protecting these practitioners, products, and therapies will be critical to the future of this market. An excellent example of how a legitimate profession can be ruined by its association with predatory health is the Chiropractic industry.

Left unchecked, the alternative will be an eventual wholesale ban on many potentially helpful drugs, therapies, and products. This would be a knee-jerk response, an oversimplified solution to a complex problem and needs to be avoided at all costs. Sadly, all too often, this type of exaggerated response is typical of politicians who lack a clear grasp of an industry’s dynamics and are looking to simply exercise damage control.

There has been little effort shown by the alt-Health sector to police themselves and whatever results now from the proliferation of fraudsters within their sector, they will share blame in the outcomes. 

If you’ve been affected by Predatory Health practitioners what can you do to stop others falling victim?

Stop enabling Predatory Health Practioners

Every time you come across these individuals and you paths will cross, perhaps frequently, as they proliferate on social media, call them out, unfollow them, report them, block them. 

Their current success is largely attributable to the internet and their mastery of social media as a sales and marketing tool. The privacy of private groups on Facebook and other platforms allows them to operate with impunity, away from prying eyes. 

They are usually only exposed when tragedy occurs, when someone dies from the poisons they peddle and that death is often a child. You can help by exposing them before this happens. 

Websites like Medika Life and others offer pages that highlight the unethical and dangerous practices of these doctors. We also offer a page where the public can confidentially bring names to our attention. You can also report the professionally registered quacks to the relevant boards within their states or directly to the FDA if medication is involved. 

Reporting accounts to the social media platforms is often futile as they are slow to respond, if ever, particularly if groups are closed. Take screenshots of offending materials and include these in a report to the websites listed below. 

Your actions are essential to saving lives and stopping the spread of the rot of predatory health within our communities. By using your voice, you can join a growing community of people speaking out against disinformation. You will not be alone and somewhere on the planet, a child may owe you their life. 

You can also sign a MOBILIZE™ Health petition if you would like to add your voice to a campaign to rid the industry of this blight by creating a formal watchdog, an Organization tasked with and legally enabled to, root out health fraud and the dangerous practices of predatory health practitioners. 

Help us to help protect the most vulnerable sectors of our communities. 

The post Exposing the Dark World of Predatory Health appeared first on Medika Life.

You, as a potential customer or patient seeking reliable advice and OTC products to assist with health conditions, can save yourself, your health, and your loved ones by studiously avoiding any of the retailers we have listed below. Whilst not all the products sold may pose a risk, the fact these retailers sell dangerous and harmful products under the guise of health should be warning enough of their actual intentions.

Do not buy into the marketing bullshit and “personal stories” of how they saved their child from autism by feeding them bleach, or how fantastic they all are now they use their own products. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to drink the rubbish they sell, so why should you. Educate yourself and rely on solid science, registered medical experts or your doctors advice. If you don’t, at best you become one of the suckers funding these charlatans, at worst, these products can cost you your health or your life.

To make us aware of a retailer, create a free account and comment below or email us on rottenretailers@medika.life

The Rotten Retailers List

If the shop link shown below is not active it means that the retailer no longer uses this website to peddle their wares. Make a note of the owner and business name and compare these to any new websites you may encounter under the listed names.

This list will be updated on a daily basis, bookmark the page and check back from time to time.

The post MOBILIZE™ HEALTH: The Rotten Retailers List appeared first on Medika Life.

It’s not always easy to spot or identify a medical quack. Medika Life takes the guesswork out of it, with a comprehensive list of quacks spreading medical misinformation.

• Zach Bush MD
• Dr. Suzanne Humphries
• Dr. Edgar Suter
• Dr. Sherrill Sellmann
• Dr. Stella Immanuel
• Kerri Rivera
• Dr. Joseph Mercola
• Kelly Brogan
• Dr. Christiane Northrup
• Dr. Scott Atlas
• Dr. Judy Mikowitz
• Andrew Wakefield

We understand in a digital age, just how difficult it has become to sort fact from fiction. Sadly, just like in any other profession, healthcare attracts its share of charlatans and unprincipled individuals who are concerned only with their own fame, and fortune. They will peddle their opinions and products to you with little or no concern for your health. We call them Predatory Health Practitioners, the very worst kind of doctors.

To help you sort out the schemers and con artists Medika has set up a Quack Scale for you to easily and quickly identify healthcare professionals that pose a risk to your health and mental wellbeing.

What the ducks mean to you as a patient or member of the public

One duck

No risk. This medical professional is beyond reproach. You can trust what they say and they are held in high esteem by their colleagues. They are not driven by financial gain and place the interests of their patients and the health of the public at the forefront of their profession. We don’t however list any doctors under this category as we don’t wish to taint their professional careers with a Quack rating. They are a little like the tooth fairy and you’ll just have to take our word for it. They are out there.

Two ducks

Unknown. This professional does not enjoy a sufficiently developed professional profile to properly ascertain risk. If any of their current stances are in conflict with sound and safe medical practice they are not sufficiently vocal to warrant danger to their patients and the public. The advice in contention will be listed on the individual’s profile.

Three ducks

Medium Risk. Although an established professional, this individual is offering advice (expanded on the individual’s profile) we consider to be untested and unsafe. Proceed with caution when considering treatment, medication, or therapy endorsed by this individual. We recommend consulting another recognized professional in the same field for a second opinion. There are usually no complaints filed against this rating.

Four ducks

Medium/High Risk. This individual has outspoken opinions on current medical advice or treatments that flies in the face of established, trialed, and evidence-based medicine. In our opinion following their advice will place your health at risk. What they are endorsing is often linked to financial gain for themselves or an associated party. This rating usually has associated patient complaints associated with the individual. Often accompanied by a strong social media profile.

Five ducks

High Risk!!! Our ultimate Bad Egg list. In Medika’s opinion, this individual poses a significant risk to both the public and their patients. They often profit off the sale of medical misinformation and will sell you products or treatments they underwrite. They are usually not currently licensed and trade off their reputations and qualifications to mislead and misdirect the public with false, misleading, and often dangerous advice, both medical and otherwise.

If you choose to follow their advice you are placing your health at grave risk.

Our advice is to run a mile and where possible report these individuals to their respective licensing. and professional boards. You can find information on how to do this below each profile. This rating almost always has complaints lodged against the practitioner from patients and the individual may even be facing legal action regarding their practice or business models.

This rating enjoys a very strong and outspoken presence on social media and preys on unwitting victims who are conned by the person’s professional credentials. Their favorite ploy is to spread fear related to a particular condition and then in the next breath, offer you treatments or products they assure you will work. Lies.

What factors do we consider when ranking a Predatory Health Practitioner?

We use the following criteria to evaluate the Predatory Health Practitioners we list. We also look at other factors, but primarily use information procured online whilst verifying or validating the following.

• Current applicable licensing to practice from a recognized medical authority
• Validated medical credentials (is the person actually qualified)
• Current listed public complaints from patients or members of the public
• Current or previous legal complaints against the practitioner, either in a professional capacity or relating to a business.
• Support or critique from colleagues.
• Advice or proffered medical opinions that are misleading, dangerous, or untested and that often fall outside the professional’s field of expertise.
• For-profit business model or revenue generation attached to opinions and advice offered by the individual.

What if a medical professional isn’t listed?

It simply means we haven’t as yet looked at that individual with a view to assessing their profile. If you have concerns about someone, you are welcome to use the comments below to request we look into a practitioner. We promise we’ll get to it as soon as possible and will respond to the comment, confirming or dispelling your concerns.

If you are ever in doubt about advice relating to your health we strongly recommend seeking a second opinion from a similarly qualified professional. Most doctors really do have their patient’s best interests at heart, it’s the quacks and predators you need to watch out for.

Where does the term “Quack” come from?

This nickname for people peddling fake cures and/or pretending to have medical skills they don’t actually possess has been around since at least the early 17th century. The Oxford English Dictionary lists the oldest recorded use in Francis Quarles’ 1638 book, Hieroglyphikes of the Life of Man: “Quack, leave thy trade; thy dealings are not right, thou tak’st our weighty gold, to give us light.”

Quack, in the sense of a medical impostor, is a shortening of the old Dutch quacksalver (spelled kwakzalver in the modern Dutch), which originally meant a person who cures with home remedies, and then came to mean one using false cures or knowledge.

The etymological trail gets muddy if you go any further back than that, and quacksalver has been traced variously to kwakken (to fling or throw down) + zalver (person who cures with ointments), quacsalven (a term for home remedies, from the 1300s), and quaken (to quack or croak) + salf (salve). Taken figuratively, the kwakken and quaken origins imply someone peddling and boasting about their medical wares, legitimate or not—a little broader, but not too far off from the modern usage.

The term is also broadly used as a slang term, particularly in the U.K. to refer to medical professionals, with no ill-intent intended. For example,” Have you been to see the quack?”

The post How Medika’s Quack Scale Works appeared first on Medika Life.