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368,379 people killed, 306,096 injured and over $2,815,931,000 in economic damages

What's the harm in herbal remedies?

Herbal remedies are everywhere these days, often promoted as safe alternatives to prescription medicines. However, many are not manufactured consistently and can have severe side effects on the body. Read more about herbal remedies

Here are 100,508 people who were harmed by someone not thinking critically.

Lorie Atikian Age: 17 months Ontario, Canada	Died (malnutrition, pneumonia) September 25, 1987
Lorie's parents, concerned about modern food additives, were advised to give her an organic vegetarian diet. She was also treated with herbal & homeopathic remedies and an energy machine. Her parents were convicted of neglect. Read more

Steve Bechler (athlete) Age: 23 Fort Lauderdale, Florida	Died February 17, 2003
He was trying to lose some weight during Orioles spring training, using a supplement that contained the Chinese herbal remedy ephedra. He collapsed from multiple organ failure in the heat and died. The FDA banned ephedra a year later. Read more & more

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

Michael Berggren Age: 55 Hines Creek, Alberta, Canada	Died December 26, 2006
This veteran trucker lost control of his truck one morning and died in the accident. An investigation found a rare and powerful tranquilizer in his blood. He had been taking an herbal sleep aid that illegally contained the drug. Read more & more

Leslie Bramston Age: 44 Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia	Died (untreated cancer) November 2004
Seeking a cure for her cancer, she was sold vitamin and herbal treatments for thousands of dollars. Finally she was injected with cesium chloride as part of an ozone therapy, and she died. Read more

Boonreung Buachan Age: 34 Prai Bung, Thailand	Died of untreated snakebite March 22, 2004
A well known snake handler, he was bit during a show. He took a herbal remedy for snakebite and proceeded. The show went on until paralysis set in, and he died later at a hospital. Read more & more

Tawnya Cummiskey Laguna Niguel, California	Harrassed, bullied 1999
When Tawnya's doctor prescribed some herbal supplements from a certain company, little did she know he was signing her up to be a representative. It became clear this was an MLM scam, but the doctor kept pressuring her. Read more

Brittney Dorcy Age: 2 Vancouver, Washington	Murdered by her mother June 12, 2004
Brittney's mom suffered from severe depression. Her medical treatment for this was very successful and lauded in a local news article. But she decided to discontinue medication and treat herself with St. John's Wort. A tragedy resulted. Read more & more

Jessica Dorcy Age: 4 Vancouver, Washington	Murdered by her mother June 12, 2004
Jessica's mom suffered from severe depression. Her medical treatment for this was very successful and lauded in a local news article. But she decided to discontinue medication and treat herself with St. John's Wort. A tragedy resulted. Read more & 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

Linda Epping Age: 8 Los Angeles, California	Died December 29, 1961
Linda was scheduled for surgery to remove a tumor, when her parents met a chiropractor who said he could cure her. He had her swallowing up to 124 pills a day for months. He was convicted of second-degree murder in 1967. Read more

Norman Ferrie Age: 64 Invergowrie, Perthshire, Scotland	Died (liver failure) July 3, 2004
Norman suffered from arthritis, and decided to take an herbal remedy (glucosamine) to ease his pain. Only 2 months after starting, he died of a severe allergic reaction. Read more & more

David Flint California	Died (untreated leukemia) April 1994
David sought out ayurvedic treatments from (among others) Deepak Chopra. At one point he was told his leukemia was gone. It was not. David died four months later, and a lawsuit was filed in July 1995. Read more & more

G. Fowden Sandy, Utah	Died
A lifelong believer in natural cures, she shunned conventional medicine. When she got sick she saw nearly every form of alternative practitioner. When she finally allowed herself to be taken to a hospital, it was far too late to help. Read more

Dale & Susan Fox Arizona	Thousands of dollars in debt 2004
Multi-level marketing for herbal remedies Read more

Anita Gergasko Age: 58 Hazlet, New Jersey	Died (cancer)
She refused chemotherapy for her breast cancer, instead choosing massive doses of vitamin C and herbs. The cancer spread. On her deathbed she made her husband promise that he would not allow any of her family or friends to make the same mistake. Read more

Petra Hall Age: 54 Hamilton, Michigan	Died February 6, 1996
An osteopath injected Petra with herbal tea to treat her leukemia. Later that day she was in a hospital with multiple organ failure. She died 11 days later. The osteopath was fined and got five years of probation. Read more & more

Betty Harlan Age: 76 Windsor, Wisconsin	Died May 9, 2005
Betty had multiple chronic health problems including diabetes. Seeking treatment for a leg ulcer, she went to a wellness center run by a naturopath. Her daugher feared she stopped taking her conventional medicine. Read more

Connie Hirschmugl Novato, California	Hospitalized near death 1996
She took a popular Chinese cold remedy Zhong Gan Ling. Soon she was hospitalized with so few white blood cells that doctors suspected leukemia. It was found the herbal remedy had been spiked with a banned pain reliever. She sued. Read more

Kris Humphrey Age: 24 San Jose, California	Died August 14, 1994
She did not believe in traditional medicine. When she became pregnant she took the herbal remedy pennyroyal to induce an abortion. When complications arose, she had to go to the hospital. She went into shock and died. Read more & more

Jacqueline Jones Age: 50 St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England	Hospitalized for six weeks 2001
A sample of an herbal treatment for asthma was sent to her house. She tried it and stopped using her medications. Within two days she was in a hospital where she stayed for 6 weeks. Read more

John Kimani & 2 others Naivasha, Kenya	Died / hospitalized July 15, 2008
When post election violence erupted in Kenya, he abandoned his farm for a refugee camp. In the camp he was given an herbal remedy for "blood purification" and died within minutes. Two others were hospitalized. The herbalist was arrested. Read more

Helena Rose "Rosie" Kolitwenzew Age: 8 Columbus, North Carolina	Died (untreated diabetes) October 21, 1999
A naturopath convinced her mother to stop administering insulin to her, in favor of herbal remedies. She began vomiting, and died. It turns out his "degrees" were fake. He was sentenced to prison. Read more & more & more

Li Guoxing Age: 32 Yunnan province, China	Died July 2008
After being mauled by a bear, he received a rare face transplant operation. His doctors prescribed immune-suppressing drugs, but he refused them in favor of herbal remedies. He died two years after the operation, and his family refused an autopsy. Read more & more & more

Mitchell James Little Age: 18 days Raymond Terrace, NSW, Australia	Died (untreated heart defect) September 25, 1999
A naturopath perscribed herbal remedies & energy machine treatments for a congenital heart defect, and advised against surgery. The baby died, and the naturopath was sentenced to five years in jail. Read more & more

Nong Thi Loi & her family Age: 63 & 37 to 47 Tuong village, Cao Bang province, Vietnam	6 people dead, one sickened November 13, 2007
After she became sick from drinking wine laced with herbal plants, her family held an exorcism to cure her. The rest of the family drank the wine and died. She might have mistaken a poisonous herb for a safe one. Read more & more

Rhea McAllister Age: 35 Crosby, Texas	Stroke April 2002
She took a diet supplement containing herbal ingredients including ephedra. She suffered a stroke which has caused ongoing neurological problems. A court awarded her $7.4 Million, and ephedra was banned two years later. Read more

Yesim McKeag Age: 33 Inverleithing, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK	Incorrect diagnosis, useless treatments 2007
She was told she had a hormonal imbalance and was prescribed acupuncture and herbal remedies for her acne. After several treatments, her skin got worse. A doctor later told her the diagnosis was "nonsense." Read more

Caleb Moorhead Age: 6 months Auckland, New Zealand	Died (malnutrition) March 2001
Calebs parents, devout Seventh-Day Adventists, tried to feed him using a vegan diet and herbal remedies. He died of a Vitamin B12 deficiency. His parents were sentenced to five years in jail. Read more & more

André Noble Age: 25 Wareham-Centreville, Newfoundland, Canada	Died July 30, 2004
This promising young actor was a vegetarian known for his love of nature. While exploring an island on a boat trip, he consumed various berries and natural vegetation. Unfortunately, one of them was monkshood, a poisonous plant. He died within hours. Read more

Sedef Olcer Age: 46 Chicago, Illinois	Died (digitalis poisoning) November 9, 2007
A raw foods purist, she believed that any cooking ruined food. She picked what she was thought was mullein (an herb for sore throats) and put it in a smoothie. It was actually foxglove, and she died from the poison in it. Read more & more

Charles Paynter Age: 68 Columbus, Ohio	Hospitalized with kidney failure 1988
He saw a chiropractor for help with his back pain. He was treated with heat, herbs, tonics and homeopathy. Three days after his last treatment, he was rushed to a hospital and barely recovered. A judgment for $147,500 was awarded by a court. Read more

Rosanna Porras Age: 15 Fillmore, California	Died April 9, 1998
Rosanna dropped dead at soccer practice after taking an herbal product containing ephedra. Her parents received a $25,000 settlement. Years later, the substance was banned. Read more

Carol Jean Rubick New York, New York	Died January 18, 2003
After a lumpectomy for her breast cancer, the doctor recommended she forgo chemo and radiation in favor of antioxidants and vitamins in the "Ukraine protocol". Other doctors disagreed, but she went forward. She died of cancer, and her estate sued. Read more

Peter Schlendorf Age: 20 Panama City Beach, Florida	Died March 7, 1996
While on spring break with his friends, he took an herbal supplement called Ultimate Xphoria, which contained ephedra. Outrage over his death eventually led to bans on ephedra. His family sued the manufacturer and received $2.5 million. Read more & more

Sandra Stay Age: 59 Hove, Brighton, England	Kidney failure October 1999 - February 2001
She was sold Chinese herbal tablets for her psoriasis for three years. But they contained Aristolochia, which had been banned in England. The herbalist who sold her the tablets was prosecuted. Read more

Truong Phuc Do Age: 47 Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam	Hospitalized with swelling and fever May 30, 2008
He was taking a prescribed medicine for an illness, but adding an over-the-counter painkiller caused a reaction. When he took three packages of medicinal herbs recommended by a friend, he had to be hospitalized. Read more

Veronica Vincent & her mother Age: 50, 65 Zomba, Malawi	Died & poisoned May 4, 2008
Four children (ages 6 to 8) accused them of witchcraft. An angry mob forced them to visit a witchdoctor. He administered an herbal remedy to Veronica, which caused her death. He was arrested. Read more

Ling "Carrie" Wang Age: 25 Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK	Died (liver & organ failure)
To treat a stomach upset and skin rash, a PhD student took a traditional Chinese herbal remedy called Jin Bu Huan. She fell into a coma and died. An inquest determined that her liver and organ failure must have been caused by the remedy. Read more & more

Amit Zutshi Age: 30 Fremont, California	Died March 19, 2008
He relied on energy bars and herbal supplements to ensure his nutrition. What he didn’t know was the combination of supplements was unhealthy. His blood pressure and sodium levels were too low and his heart had weakened. He fainted and died suddenly. Read more

10 liver transplant patients Age: 21 - 56 Oregon	Liver failure August 2003
In this study, half of the 20 liver transplant patients studied had taken herbal or dietary supplements that have known toxic effects to the liver. In seven cases, there was no other identifiable cause of liver failure. Read more

105 Belgian patients Brussels, Belgium	Severe kidney disease 1990 - 1992
This study found 105 patients who had taken a Chinese herbal weight-loss pill that contained Aristolochia. They developed kidney disease and in cases cancer. Aristolochia was later banned in several countries. Read more & more

13 family members Age: 2 weeks - 55 Paddock, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa	Died September 21, 2008
All but two members of this family died when they were administered a deadly herbal concoction during a cleansing ritual by a 17 year old trainee healer. Read more & more

2 British patients London, England	Kidney failure July 1, 1999
After two documented cases of kidney failure caused by Aristolochia, the Department of Health banned the importation of this Chinese herbal remedy into England. It had earlier been banned in several other countries. Read more & more

2 women in Iowa Age: 48, 59 Iowa City, Iowa	Hospitalization / death April 1995
A case report of two women who were consuming Kombucha tea and had to be hospitalized. One died, the other survived. Another case involving a man is also known. Read more & more

24 cases of liver damage Germany	Death, liver damage, liver transplants 2002
One person died, two required liver transplants and 21 others suffered illness after using the herbal remedy kava kava, often prescribed for anxiety or stress. The German regulatory agency issued a warning and planned to ban the substance. Read more

6 New York men Age: 35 New York City, New York	Died / injured 1993, 1995, 2008
Several men have died (and one was injured) by consuming a Chinese herbal remedy alleged to be an aphrodisiac. It is banned by the FDA but still available in some places. Read more

7 New York tea drinkers Age: 38,39,20,10,35,40,18 New York City, New York	Hospitalized March 20-23, 1994
This case report tells how several people were hospitalized after drinking herbal "Paraguay tea". It was found that the raw leaves had been contaminated with belladonna. Read more

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

"John Doe" Age: 37 Houston, Texas	Post-op bleeding 2001
After surgery to remove a tumor, two additional operations were required to deal with unexpected bleeding. Later it was discovered the patient drank ginseng tea daily for its herbal effects. Ginseng has a known anti-coagulant effect on blood. Read more

"John Doe" Age: 32 Nottingham, England	Died (liver failure) 1995
This case report is of a man who took a Chinese herbal remedy called "eternal life". Within five weeks he was gravely ill. His liver had failed and no other cause of that could be found. Read more

"John Doe" Age: 55 Toronto, Ontario, Canada	Died June 30, 2008
He had purchased an over the counter product marketed as a safe legal alternative to the illegal drug ecstasy. This contains a Chinese herbal remedy "ma huang" aka ephedra. It is a powerful stimulant. He collapsed at a nightclub and died. Read more & more

"John Doe" San Rafael, California	Low blood sugar 2000
The FDA stopped importation of five products claiming to be natural or herbal remedies for diabetics, after this man suffered from low blood sugar after using one. The products had been spiked with a prescription drug. The man recovered. Read more & more

"John Doe" Age: 2 San Diego, California	Seizures May 1998
The child was given a Chinese herbal remedy Hui Chun Tan on two occasions for vomiting and fever, and suffered seizures. It was found the product contained borneol, which is toxic and possibly fatal. The child recovered. Read more & more

hundreds of Filipino people Manila, Philippines	2 deaths, blindness, wasted money May 2002
The Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology reports two deaths, cases of blindness and hundreds of workers charged for useless treatments from iridologists. Glaucoma & diabetes patients were told to discontinue medication in favor of herbal remedies. Read more & 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: 73 Des Moines, Iowa	Acute hepatitis 2007
This case report is of a woman admitted with acute hepatitis. No cause could be found, and she initially denied taking home remedies. Later she admitted taking aloe vera orally for constipation. Discontinuing it alleviated her symptoms. Read more

"Jane Roe" Age: 57 Evangelisches Krankenhaus, Köln-Kalk, Germany	Acute hepatitis 2005
Another case report of a female patient with hepatitis who was using oral aloe vera as an herbal remedy. When discontinued, her symptoms resolved completely. Read more

"Jane Roe" Age: 54 Davis, California	Arsenic poisoning 2006
This case report is of a woman who had various symptoms which disabled her from work. It was found she took daily kelp supplements and her urine contained arsenic. The arsenic was proven to be coming from the kelp, which was discontinued. Read more

"Jane Roe" Age: 56 Melbourne, Australia	Died (liver failure) July 2002
A naturopath prescribed an herbal anti-anxiety pill containing kava. She later suffered fatigue, nausea and jaundice and went to the hospital. Her liver failed five days later and she had an emergency transplant, but died. Read more

"Jane Roe" Age: 25 San Francisco, California	Died 1994
She bought a medicinal tea at an herb store to help sustain her pregnancy. She wanted to avoid another miscarriage. She died within two and a half hours. Toxicologists determined an untrained clerk had put an incorrect ingredient in the tea. Read more

"Jane Roe" Age: 61 Sacramento, California	Partially paralyzed Summer 1999
This acupuncturist drank an herbal tea to help her arthritis. She had been sold the wrong herb. The one she got was poisonous, and she suffered partial paralysis. Read more

thousands of Airborne customers Bonita Springs, Florida	Misled that it could cure colds March 3, 2008
Airborne is based on Chinese herbal remedies and large doses of vitamins. The box claimed it could cure a cold based on a study that was discovered to be bogus. A lawsuit awarded $23.3M to defrauded customers. The product is still on the shelves. Read more & more

Return to the list of topics

What's the harm in herbal remedies?

Lorie Atikian

Steve Bechler (athlete)

Debbie Benson

Michael Berggren

Leslie Bramston

Boonreung Buachan

Tawnya Cummiskey

Brittney Dorcy

Jessica Dorcy

Tyrell Dueck

Linda Epping

Norman Ferrie

David Flint

G. Fowden

Dale & Susan Fox

Anita Gergasko

Petra Hall

Betty Harlan

Connie Hirschmugl

Kris Humphrey

Jacqueline Jones

John Kimani & 2 others

Helena Rose "Rosie" Kolitwenzew

Li Guoxing

Mitchell James Little

Nong Thi Loi & her family

Rhea McAllister

Yesim McKeag

Caleb Moorhead

André Noble

Sedef Olcer

Charles Paynter

Rosanna Porras

Carol Jean Rubick

Peter Schlendorf

Sandra Stay

Truong Phuc Do

Veronica Vincent & her mother

Ling "Carrie" Wang

Amit Zutshi

10 liver transplant patients

105 Belgian patients

13 family members

2 British patients

2 women in Iowa

24 cases of liver damage

6 New York men

7 New York tea drinkers

"Baby A."

"John Doe"

"John Doe"

"John Doe"

"John Doe"

"John Doe"

"John Doe"

hundreds of Filipino people

"Noluthando"

"Ntombekhaya"

"Patient X"

"Jane Roe"

"Jane Roe"

"Jane Roe"

"Jane Roe"

"Jane Roe"

"Jane Roe"

thousands of Airborne customers