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Essiac

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Essiac, marketed as Flor Essence and several other brands, is an herbal tea promoted as an alternative treatment for cancer and other illnesses. As with many alternative remedies, the exact composition of essiac is unclear, but it reportedly contains burdock (Arctium lappa), Indian rhubarb, sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella), and slippery elm bark (Ulmus rubra). Some formulations may also contain watercress, blessed thistle, red clover, and kelp. From the 1920s through the 1970s, essiac was promoted as a cancer treatment by Rene Caisse, a Canadian nurse, who claimed that it had been given to her by a patient and that the recipe derived from an Ontario Ojibwa medicine man. The name "Essiac" is Caisse's surname spelled backwards.

In 1977, Caisse gave the essiac formula to a Canadian company, which attempted to commercialize the product. However, the company was unable to show any efficacy of essiac against cancer. Repeated laboratory tests showed that essiac failed to slow tumor growth and, in large doses, killed test animals. In a number of studies, essiac actually increased the rate of cancer growth. As a result both the U.S. and Canadian governments refused to approve essiac as a medical treatment. Essiac was instead marketed as a dietary supplement, subject to much looser regulation and not required to show any proof of effectiveness.


Essiac's purported effect on cancer has been reviewed by several major medical and scientific bodies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the National Cancer Institute, and the American Cancer Society. The NCI states "Essiac and Flor Essence have not reported clear evidence of an anticancer effect". The U.S. FDA described essiac as a "Fake Cancer 'Cure' Consumers Should Avoid". Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have written that Essiac continues to be a popular cancer therapy despite unsubstantiated claims of its effectiveness.


References

  1. Barrett, Stephen (July 27, 2010). "Questionable Cancer Therapies: Essiac". Quackwatch. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  2. ^ "Patient Information: Essiac/Flor Essence". National Cancer Institute. July 21, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  3. "Questions and Answers About Essiac and Flor Essence". National Cancer Institute. February 19, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  4. ^ "187 Fake Cancer "Cures" Consumers Should Avoid". Guidance, Compliance & Regulatory Information. USFDA. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  5. "Essiac tea". American Cancer Society - Complementary and Alternative Medicine. American Cancer Society. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  6. "Essiac/Flor Essence". Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  7. "Essiac". Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. March 10, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2012.

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