Poly-MVA

From RationalWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Against allopathy
Alternative medicine
Icon alt med alt.svg
Clinically unproven
Woo-meisters

Poly-MVA (or Polydox) is a dietary supplement created by Merrill Garnett (b. 1931), a former dentist turned biochemist. Poly-MVA is an ineffective alternative cancer treatment.[1]

Description

The "MVA" in "Poly-MVA" means "minerals vitamins and amino acids".[1] Poly-MVA contains lipoic acid, acetylcysteine, palladium, B vitamins, and other ingredients.[2] The substance is red-brown liquid that is taken by mouth.[1] Promoters of Poly-MVA refer to it as a "metallo-vitamin".[1]

In 2004, a year's supply of Poly-MVA was reported as costing US$19,800.[3]

Alternative medicine

Poly-MVA is promoted with claims that it can treat a variety of human diseases including cancer and HIV/AIDS.[1] The promotional effort is supported by customer testimonials, but there is no medical evidence that Poly-MVA confers any health benefit and some concern it may inhibit the effectiveness of mainstream cancer treatments if used at the same time.[1][2]

In 2005, Poly-MVA was listed as one of the ineffective alternative cancer treatments being sold by the clinics clustered in and around Tijuana, Mexico.[4]

External links

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Russell J, Rovere A, ed (2009). "Poly-MVA". American Cancer Society Complete Guide to Complementary and Alternative Cancer Therapies (2nd ed.). American Cancer Society. pp. 804-807. ISBN 9780944235713. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Polydox". Herb-drug Interactions in Oncology. PMPH-USA. 2010. p. 536. ISBN 978-1-60795-041-7. 
  3. "Is this cancer-fighting supplement too good to be true?". Women's Health Letter (May): 4. 2004. 
  4. Moss, R. W. (2005). "Patient Perspectives: Tijuana Cancer Clinics in the Post-NAFTA Era". Integrative Cancer Therapies 4 (1): 65–86. PMID 15695477.