2,996 people killed, 222,414 injured and over $259,801,000 in economic damages

What's the harm in alternative medicine?

Complementary or alternative medicine works outside the evidence-based realm of science. This area includes alt-med stories that don't fit into any of our other categories. Read more about alternative medicine

Here are 192 people who were harmed by someone not thinking critically.

Debbie Benson Age: 55 Fort Bragg, California	Died (cancer) July 15, 1997
She had a deep distrust of traditional medicine, so she sought out naturopaths and other alternative practitioners for her breast cancer. It raged out of control and she died. Read More

Skip Coombs Age: 32 Arizona	Died March 1993
Seeking a cure for AIDS, he traveled from his home in North Carolina to Arizona for an intravenous treatment. He was taken across the border into Mexico for the treatment. He died four months later. Read More

Patti Davis Age: 39 Sacramento, California	Died (cancer) March 20, 1999
Patti's relatives encouraged her to have conventional breast cancer treatments, Her mother had survived for 22 years using them. Instead she pursued quack alternative treatments at a clinic in Tijuana, Mexico. She died. Read More

Tyrell Dueck Age: 13 Martensville, Saskatchewan, Canada	Died (cancer) June 30, 1999
He got bone cancer in his leg, but rejected amputation and chemotherapy. Instead he sought alternative and herbal therapy in Mexico. The Saskatchewan government sued to force conventional treatment. The cancer spread and he died. Read More & More

Dominik Feld Age: 9 Siegen, Germany	Died (untreated cancer) November 2004
His parents chose an alternative treatment for his cancer involving vitamin and mineral doses. The government tried to intervene. The boy eventually died. Read More

Ed Gochenour Age: 46 Macon, Georgia	Died (cancer) November 7, 1999
A member of the Georgia State Senate, he treated his brain tumor using an alternative treatment from a doctor in Texas. That doctor was prosecuted by the FDA and Ed testified on his behalf, claiming he cured his cancer. 21 months later he was dead. Read More & More & More

Ruth Hanna St. Louis, Missouri	Died January 24, 2007
She pursued a treatment for her cancer called insulin potentiation therapy. There is very little scientific evidence that this treatment works. She died of cancer. Read More & More

Bethany Hughes Age: 17 Calgary, Alberta, Canada	Died (leukemia) September 5, 2002
Bethany's leukemia required (among other things) blood transfusions for treatment. Her father wanted her to do this, but she and her mother were Jehovah's Witnesses and refused. A divorce and custody case tore the family apart, and Bethany died. Read More

Lawrence Hughes Calgary, Alberta, Canada	Family destroyed, daughter died September 5, 2002
He fought in court to get conventional treatments for his daughter Bethany Hughes, against the wishes of his Jehovah's Witness wife. A long court battle and divorce resulted, and Bethany still died.

Michaela Jakubczyk-Eckert Age: 40	Died (untreated breast cancer) December 11, 2005
Michaela decided to seek an alternative treatment for her breast cancer. Her husband disagreed but supported her decision. Her cancer raged out of control. The clinic did not even notify her husband when she died. Read More

Lisanne Manseau Age: 12 Hull, Quebec, Canada	Died (untreated diabetes) March 28, 1994
After consulting a crystal ball, a pendulum and an angel, a naturopath replaced Lisanne's insulin with a variety of natural remedies to "detoxify" her. She died only three days after beginning treatment. The naturopath was convicted of manslaughter. Read More & More

Bob Marley (musician) Age: 36 Nine Miles, Jamaica	Died (untreated cancer) May 11, 1981
In July 1977 he was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in his right big toe. His Rastafarian religious beliefs did not allow for amputation. He sought alternative therapies as the cancer spread to the rest of his body. He died in 1981. Read More

Sylvia Millecam (actress) Age: 45 Boxmeer, Netherlands	Died (untreated cancer) August 19, 2001
A popular television personality, she sought out alternative therapies for her breast cancer, including a new age psychic healer. Two of her physicians were later barred permanently from medical practice. Read More & More

Mary Nedlouf Orlando, Florida	Sold useless treatments for her cancer, died 2007
When her cancer recurred and was declared inoperable, she turned to a homeopathic physician. He prescribed thousands of dollars of treatments and claimed she was being cured, and yet her cancer raged out of control. Read More

Donald Pereyra Ridgefield, Connecticut	Died (liver failure) December 17, 1987
After a tumor on his back was surgically removed, his doctors recommended radiation and chemo. His chiropractor disagreed and injected him with unproven substances. He died of liver failure (he had no liver cancer) and a lawsuit resulted. Read More

Sandra Schmirler (athlete) Age: 36 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada	Died (cancer) March 2, 2000
An Olympic gold medalist and three-time world champion in curling, she contracted esophageal cancer. Unfortunately she received treatment from a provider that uses remedies that are not scientifically proven. She died, leaving two children. Read More & More & More

Barry Sheene (motorcyclist) Age: 52 Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia	Died (untreated cancer) March 8, 2003
He was a world-famous motorcycle racer and commentator. Diagnosed with cancer, he rejected chemotherapy. He treated himself with "natural therapy" consisting mainly of a low-protein diet, plus "microwave therapy." He died less than a year later. Read More & More & More

Maria Silva Age: 68 Los Angeles, California	Died March 29, 2003
Silva had many illnesses, which she attempted to treat using PAP-IMI, an energy medicine machine. She died of a heart attack while attached to the machine. Read More

Michael Tylo II Age: 19 Henderson, Nevada	Died (seizure/drowning) October 18, 2007
The son of actress Hunter Tylo and actor Michael Tylo, he was counseled that his seizures were caused by familial stress & could be treated with therapy and acupuncture. Later, he suffered a seizure, fell into a pool and drowned. His mother has sued. Read More

Johnny Warren (athlete) & 149 others Age: 61 Sydney, NSW, Australia	Died (cancer) November 6, 2004
A long-time smoker, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. His family pleaded with him to give up the unproven "wonder drugs" he was being given in Queensland. He died, and the doctor he was seeing was later investigated by authorities. Read More & More

Lady Victoria Waymouth or "Ms. A" Age: 57 southern France	Died September 1, 2004
In a telephone & email consultation (with no physical exam), an alternative care doctor told her to discontinue any other medication and use homeopathic remedies. Within days she died of heart failure. The doctor was suspended for a year. Read More & More

Liam Williams-Holloway Age: 5 Otago, New Zealand	Died October 2000
His parents refused chemotherapy for his cancer, but health officials obtained a court order. His parents went into hiding and took him to Mexico for alternative treatment. Read More & More

"Patient A" Huntersville, North Carolina	Died after $27,820 in useless treatments April-June, 2004
An osteopath claimed he could cure cancer. He ordered a ton of useless tests and then prescribed an expensive therapy without seeing the patient. He was eventually disciplined. Read More

"Baby A." Age: Newborn Edinburgh, Scotland, UK	Brain damage June 4, 2004
New age midwife & herbal remedies Read More

"Patient B" Huntersville, North Carolina	Died after $10K of useless treatments April-June, 2004
An osteopath claimed he could cure cancer. He ordered many tests and then prescribed an expensive therapy without seeing the patient. He was eventually disciplined. Read More

"Patient C" Huntersville, North Carolina	Died after $32K of useless treatments
An osteopath claimed he could cure cancer with "100%" effectiveness. He ordered many tests and then prescribed an expensive therapy without seeing the patient. He was eventually disciplined. Read More

"Patient D" Huntersville, North Carolina	Useless expensive procedures 2005
The patient had a history of colon polyps, but the osteopath initiated chelation therapy without even seeing the patient. He was eventually disciplined. Read More

"John Doe" Age: 11 months	Severe anemia 2005
They boy was raised on barley water and goats milk as recommended in an alternative medicine book. He developed a vitamin deficiency and his doctors said he was lucky to avoid brain damage. Read More

"John Doe" Age: 52 South Australia	Paid $3,500 for alternative therabies, Died 2006
Quack cancer treatment, Alternative medicine Read More

"John Doe" Age: 66 South Australia	Paid $24,000 for therapy, Died 2006
Seeking a cure for cancer, he paid thousands for a range of blood tests and herbal remedies. Authorities later denounced the practitioner as a quack in a report. Read More

"Noluthando" Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa	Died June 2, 2005
Diagnosed with HIV in 2002, she was was on a waiting list for antiretrovirals. She started taking an alternative treatment, and in three days she could not even walk. Soon she was dead. Read More

"Ntombekhaya" Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa	Died March 27, 2005
HIV positive, she was being treated for TB when someone offering alternative remedies contacted her. She stopped taking her TB medicines and later died. Read More

"Patient X" Cape Town, South Africa	Died October 8, 2005
He was being treated by a quack when his disease got out of control and he was hospitalized. He never had a chance to beat AIDS because of the time he wasted on the treatments. Read More

"Jane Roe" Age: 29 South Australia	Paid $3,000 for useless therapy, Died 2005
Ozone therapy, Quack cancer treatment Read More

"Jane Roe" Age: 13 St. Gédéon de Beauce, Quebec, Canada	Untreated illness March 13, 2008
She has a rare illness that interferes with her kidneys and breathing. Her mother put her on a regimen of wheat-grass juice and raw foods and was withholding some of her medication. A court intervened and put her in the hospital for surgery. Read More

"Tshepang" Age: 9 months Louisvale, South Africa	Raped November 2001
The AIDS epidemic in Africa has spawned many quack cures. In one area, witch doctors say that sex with a small child can cure the disease. Needless to say, this results in tragedy. Read More & More

"Robyn X." Age: 42 Australia	Lost AUS $70K, suffered needlessly November 12, 2001
Quack cancer treatment Read More

Return to the list of topics

What's the harm in alternative medicine?

Debbie Benson

Skip Coombs

Patti Davis

Tyrell Dueck

Dominik Feld

Ed Gochenour

Ruth Hanna

Bethany Hughes

Lawrence Hughes

Michaela Jakubczyk-Eckert

Lisanne Manseau

Bob Marley (musician)

Sylvia Millecam (actress)

Mary Nedlouf

Donald Pereyra

Sandra Schmirler (athlete)

Barry Sheene (motorcyclist)

Maria Silva

Michael Tylo II

Johnny Warren (athlete) & 149 others

Lady Victoria Waymouth or "Ms. A"

Liam Williams-Holloway

"Patient A"

"Baby A."

"Patient B"

"Patient C"

"Patient D"

"John Doe"

"John Doe"

"John Doe"

"Noluthando"

"Ntombekhaya"

"Patient X"

"Jane Roe"

"Jane Roe"

"Tshepang"

"Robyn X."