AMA warns of 'snake oil' salesman

Sky News/November 3, 2014

A bleach product being spruiked as a miracle cure for everything from asthma to HIV, cancer and Ebola has been condemned as 'snake oil' by doctors.

The Australian Medical Association says the claims around the so-called 'Miracle Mineral Solution' being promoted by the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing are outlandish and potentially dangerous.

The church claims the solution is a cure for Ebola, malaria, cancer, HIV and other diseases, although it has retracted statements on a sales website about its therapeutic benefits.

'In our view it's nothing more than a bleach,' AMA Victorian president Tony Bartone told AAP.

People have previously been hospitalised after being poisoned by the mixture of sodium chlorite, acid and water.

'We know at least 10 people have ended up in hospital with poisoning symptoms,' Dr Bartone said.

Dr Bartone said the solution wasn't approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and there were no clinical trials.

'It seems to be straight out of the snake oil salesman days of the early 1900s,' he said on Monday.

The American co-founder of the church, Jim Humble, is due to visit Melbourne and the New Zealand town of Ngatea fora series of $500 three-day courses.

Melbourne Genesis bishop Paul Treacy told News Corp Australia denied the solution would be sold at the courses, which he described as a 'creative, friendly environment' for people to learn about the church.

Dr Bartone called on the federal government to stop sales of the products.

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