Tuesday, April 29, 2014

The FDA Takes Action Against Quack Autism "Cure" Peddlers

The FDA announced on Friday 25 April 2014 that they have issued warnings to "companies" who have been making false, misleading and dangerous claims regarding some of the more heinous "autism cures".
April is National Autism Awareness Month, a fitting time to think about the growing need for concern and awareness about autism.
One thing that is important to know up front: There is no cure for autism. So, products or treatments claiming to “cure” autism do not work as claimed. The same is true of many products claiming to “treat” autism. Some may carry significant health risks.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plays an important role in warning these companies against making false or misleading claims.
Some of the "cures" that the FDA has warned about are:
  • “Chelation Therapies.” These products claim to cleanse the body of toxic chemicals and heavy metals by binding to them and “removing” them from circulation. They come in a number of forms, including sprays, suppositories, capsules, liquid drops and clay baths. FDA-approved chelating agents are approved for specific uses, such as the treatment of lead poisoning and iron overload, and are available by prescription only. FDA-approved prescription chelation therapy products should only be used under medical supervision. Chelating important minerals needed by the body can lead to serious and life-threatening outcomes.
Chelation has quite a fan base over at the autism-hating pit also known as Age of Autism. Unfortunately for their children who have been subjected to this dangerous "treatment", the need for chelation is based upon bogus tests that use a chelator administered to the child, urine collected and then "tested".  These provoked challenge tests are not recognised as valid by any regulatory authority any where in the world. 

Research suggests that chelating in the absence of heavy metals can actually cause permanent neurological damage in children because the chelators will scavenge essential nutrients necessary for growth and development.  None of those peddling chelation for autism have any safety or efficacy data to support their claims.  Jenny McCarthy's Generation Rescue peddles chelation along with off-label prescription drug use to "recover" your autistic child.
  • Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. This involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized chamber and has been cleared by FDA for certain medical uses, such as treating decompression sickness suffered by divers. It has not been cleared for autism, among other conditions.
TACA via autism crank Kenneth Stoller make very specific claims regarding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and "treating" autism. Forcing special needs children into HBOT chambers is not only cruel but has already resulted in the death of at least one child and his grandmother for another unapproved use of HBOT.  There are no valid data to support HBOT as an effective autism treatment although that doesn't stop the quacks from taking advantage of desperate parents.
  • Miracle Mineral Solution. Also known as Miracle Mineral Supplement and MMS, this product becomes a potent chemical that‘s used as bleach when mixed according to package directions. FDA has received reports of consumers who say they experienced nausea, severe vomiting and life-threatening low blood pressure after drinking the MMS and citrus juice mixture.
This is perhaps one of the most horrifying and ludicrous autism "cures" and Kerri Rivera is at the forefront of this disgusting and abusive snake oil peddling.  Ms. Rivera has presented MMS/Chlorine Dioxide (CD) as an autism cure at the premier crankfest AutismOne since 2010 and will be there again this year claiming 128 children "recovered" by bleaching them. Ms. Rivera would have her followers believe that since chlorine dioxide isn't sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) that it isn't a bleach.  She is either too stupid, too evil or both to make this claim as "bleach" is a classification of chemical compounds, not a single one as Emily Willingham so aptly demonstrated.  

Users abusers of MMS/CD report nausea, vomiting, severe diarrhoea but Ms. Rivera blithely exclaims that "it's working".  Parents who force this on their autistic children also report and proudly supply pictures of their children's intestinal mucosa which is sloughing off to which Ms. Rivera claims that it's "parasites".  Ms. Rivera lives hides in Mexico but peddles her snake oil globally so is not immune from FDA action.
  • Detoxifying Clay Baths. Added to bath water, these products claim to draw out chemical toxins, pollutants and heavy metals from the body, falsely offering “dramatic improvement” for autism symptoms.
A completely useless and potentially dangerous "autism treatment".  Clay baths are not regulated and can contain harmful contaminants, the very things that peddlers claim they are purging from the body.
  • CocoKefir probiotics products. Product claims include being a “major key” to recovery from autism, but they are not proven safe and effective for this advertised use.
CocoKefir is a sponsor of AutismOne this year and although they have received at least one FDA warning letter, are still making claims that their products treat autism. Again, these products are considered supplements and are not regulated so may contain contaminants and other ingredients which are not listed.

I applaud this action by the FDA as special needs children are being subjected to dangerous, harmful and downright abusive "treatments" by dubious quacks and cranks.  Now if only the AMA and AAP will recognise these abusive "treatments" for what they are and disciplining their own physicians, perhaps autistic children may be spared from harms perpetrated by the very people who should be protecting them.

66 comments:

  1. Finally! I don't know why they let this go on so long.

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    1. This article is wrong on SO MANY points....the genius that wrote this actually believes the FDA....LOL!!!

      I'd like to see the author confront a once Autistic Child that was CURED by AutismONE/Kerri Rivera and begin to tell that child that they are NOT CURED....LOL! What a PAID SKEPTIC SHILL this site TRULY IS! A LAPDOG for BIGPHARMA, Federal Conflict of Interest REGULATORS & Academia. DIS-INFORMATION ALL the WAY....I can just see the BOTTOM LINE dropping on ALL Corporations, because people are taking their health into their own hands. As if, just because the FDA DOESN'T approve a particular NATURAL Protocol as SAFE & EFFECTIVE, there is no relevance/benefit is absurd. WAKE UP AMERICA....the FDA APPROVES DRUGS everyday that KILL more people every year than heart attack or car accident or Cancer. SAFE & Effective has LOST all relevance considering the FDA's stance on VACCINES & the 3 BILLION DOLLARS in settlement to Families due to Vaccine Injury/DEATH...Research VICP....Enough SAID!

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    2. So, dear brave Anonymous, are you also upset that Elixir sulfanilamide is no longer being sold?

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    3. If you (or anyone) were "cured" of autism, it means you never had it to begin with.

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    4. Anonymous.You are out of your tiny mind

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    5. I agree with Anonymous above. The author of this blo is an obvious paid wacko of BigPharma, who does not have an autistic child and have not seen the wonders achieved using MMS.

      Just the other day BigPharma was trying to get the nation to stop using hand sanitizers using a claim that there was no proven benefit to using sanitizers. The proof is in the wack BigPharma takes to their pockets when they are making less money because fewer people are getting sick by passing germs. That is proof enough for me.

      This site is nothing but a concerted attempt to discredit a movement that is going to turn the NWO conspirators on their heads in their attempts to marginalize a large part of the population with their poison vaccines.

      But don't worry Autism may come to a family member near you then you'll be talking a whole lot differently.

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    6. Dear brave Anonymous, could do something other than the old boring tired Pharma Shill Gambit? How about actual evidence that vaccines provide more revenue to pharmaceutical companies than treating the one in ten hospitalized by measles?

      Oh, and the thread of autism: my oldest is autistic. He had seizures when he was two days old, and he was sent to the hospital as a toddler because he was sick with a disease years before the vaccine was available. I know first hand that diseases are worse than the vaccines. So, unless you can provide a PubMed indexed studies by reputable qualified researchers that any vaccine on the present American pediatric schedule is more dangerous than the diseases: you can shove your sadistic child hating head up where the sun does not shine.

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    7. Hi, Anonymous.
      Don't you suspect Miss Rivera fixation on enema is, to say tje least, conspicuouse?
      You find plausible autistic individuals just grow parasites over and over afer being poisoned with bleach through all possible poisoning ways?
      What about putting our "perfect" non autistic brains to work?
      ... Please... Thank you.

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  2. That's awfully nice that the FDA has put these purveyors of quackery on notice. Now I want to see some some press releases from the FDA to prove that they have the will and the available staff, to seize the products and pursue the quack practitioners.





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    1. Seller of “Miracle Mineral Solution” Convicted for Marketing Toxic Chemical as a Miracle Cure

      http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/seller-miracle-mineral-solution-convicted-marketing-toxic-chemical-miracle-cure

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  3. Another thing I'd like to see added to that list - essential oils, which is about as close to actual snake oil as you can get. Too many times I see multi-level marketers trying to sell them to vulnerable parents promising them relief of autism symptoms. (Sleeplessness, aggression, hyperactivity, etc.) One of those "special" brews with a price tag of $70+ for 5ml.

    It's disgusting watching people profit off people who are desperate and will try anything, especially on their children.

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    1. The Artist Assena VApril 15, 2015 at 7:02 AM

      "... essential oils, which is about as close to actual snake oil as you can get."

      Um...What?? Essential oils are the squeezed out oils from plants. That's it. They are used in perfumes, teas, topical medicines and as flavorings. If anyone is using/claiming to use essential oils in some sort of miracle cure, that's on them and their quackery, not on the essential oils themselves.

      People use water in quackery, too. Does that make water "snake oil"? Of course not.

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    2. It is the very act of selling these "cures" which makes them "snake oil."

      Don't argue semantics - because that's a false argument.

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  4. Here is an inside look at the CD lunacy.
    www.nomorebleach.wordpress.com

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  5. anyone who has worked for the government knows the coercion factor, the buy outs and pay off, I personal am aware for the facts of MMS [cd] form a personal life stand point and the political band wagons against Keri. Revere. One very well know fact is that no one has ever questioned the government quackery and their relationships to the drug business selling lucrative desperation and false promise when Chemo kills 70 percent of the patients and the side effects of all the synthetic drugs sanctioned by the FDA have six pages of deadly side effects disclaimers. I am aware of at least 10 people dying by the drugs [death by doctor] accredited doctors who are scared to death to tell the real story of the AMA devious ploys in the name of commercial gain, but HEY, that OK, they are some the demi gods who are watching over us for capital gains....that's ok, right, you bunch band wagon phonies. leave Keri alone you ignorant buffoons. Keri has ever been presented to substansative worng doing only empty allogaion. for where, the sand box of agreed ignorance the government sanctioned and well paid of medical constituent's. wake up bumpkins, get real. you foster a show time ill-will to Ms., Revere when she means no ill will to any one, only life caring good..... shame on you show tune characters. she has absolutely no will or wrong doing and it is the mindless job of the government's to degrade, tax and fine any thing they can capitulate. Shame on those that belligerent and egregious status quo evil.

    Anonymous user of mms [cd] and swear buy it as a matter of biological fact, if one actually does the research and stops show boating ignorant tripe....james.

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    1. What kind of dressing do you want on that word salad?

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    2. Whatever are you blathering about?

      Could you reword your comment so that it makes sense?

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  6. I have an autistic daughter on the MMS/Kerri Rivera protocol. How do I know it's safe? I'm doing it to myself. Is my daughter better? Yes. Is she cured? No. Will I do anything (medically or therapeutically) to help my daughter reach her maximum potential as long as its safe? Yes. Do vaccines cause autism? Maybe. Do environmental toxins cause autism? Yes. Does autism happen because environmental toxins can alter DNA? Maybe. At the end of the day, there is no way we can state anything definitive pro or anti vaccination. We need more research. My credentials? Parent and doctor.

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    1. Educated people know that chlorine dioxide (MMS or CD) is not sodium hyperchlorite (bleach). You eat vegetables and fruit every day that are treated with chlorine dioxide.

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    2. @anon - MMS is a bleaching agent, i.e. it's bleach.

      I also wash my fruits and vegetables first - I also don't ingest bleach nor do I use it as an enema....what special kind of crazy are you?

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    3. Educated. You are obviously not. MMS is not sodium hyperchlorite and is safe for human consumption per the FDA. Get your facts straight.

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    4. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm220747.htm

      "Educated?" That must mean something else entirely - because you obviously have no idea what you are talking about.

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    5. http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/toxin-cleanser-mms-warning-issued-in-canada-1.1177539

      And a warning from Canada....

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    6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleach

      "Bleach" is the name given to a wide variety of chemicals with similar properties....hence, MMS is "Bleach," based on its effects.

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    7. Hey anonymous MMS user,

      Educated people know how to spell sodium hypochlorite.

      - Chemmomo (who understands both chemistry and spelling better than how to sign in)

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    8. Given that the overall survival rates for most cancers have increased dramatically over the past few decades, I'd say you have no idea what you are talking about.

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  7. http://www.downmms.com/fda-warnings/

    http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm394757.htm

    Again, "Educated" you are most definitely not.

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  8. OK, so in your mind MMS is clorox. So, go drink MMS per the Kerri Rivera protocol and do the same with clorox and let me know what happens.

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    1. So, can't admit you're wrong, can you?

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    2. Especially because you specifically claimed that the FDA said it was safe to consume & I have posted several items that show that they've said the opposite (on numerous occasions as well).

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  9. This is an interesting list of what not to use to help those who suffer from the various forms of Autism. I challenge the list writer to actually stop doing a disservice and provide alternatives otherwise those you want to reach will keep reaching for answers. Saying there is no cure will just send those people to look for more. A better approach is to offer what will help relieve the various problems associated with either the way Autism manifests, root causes of those manifestations, or the base problem for the individual of note. I can provide various examples, but since the proposition is science based, lets see when the science associated with the FDA catches up with Autism Research Institute and others who are actually approaching this in a scientific manner.

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    1. Perhaps you can do that on your own blog.

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    2. Good idea, which is what I was expecting from this blog but didn't find.

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    3. I would recommend perusing actually autism treatment sites (legitimate ones).

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    4. Informing people of horrible, abusive "autism treatments" does not require alternative recommendations Anonymous. Do you honestly think that these gruesome parents are going to give a toss anyhow? These parents aren't interested in science-based recommendations; they want absolutes and are looking in the wrong places for them. Given your tacit approval of these foul "treatments" and promotion of ARI, I have to wonder about both of you.

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  10. I've take MMS since 2008. It works not just for autism but for so many things... and has zero side effects, I've never been healthier, no medicine since then, now you know why sites like this aberration here, exist! Talk in person with the MMS people, there are hundreds of thousands of us, they won't be able to stop us all.

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    1. Why should we believe you?

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    2. If you are an adult Anonymous then go right ahead and consume, bathe in and shoot up your rectum all the MMS you want. The more the better in fact. But peddle it to others or give it to children? You're a vile, repugnant ditchpig worthy of every ounce of derision and scorn that can be heaped on you.

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  11. I am nou using MMS but i am a part of FB group who are usin it on their ASD/ADD kids with so much success. now if any engineer is trying this out, its not out of frustration but bcoz its technically safe and beneficial to kill all pathogens without harming human body. the trick is the quantity and usage.

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    1. Sure because someone who can't even spell is capable of understanding biochemistry. Guess what Einstein, MMS isn't that selective and destroys human epithelial cells. That translates to your friends causing excruciating pain and harm to their children. This ridiculous quest for some perfect child is so disgusting I have no words. Half my family has ADHD and they are brilliant, amazing, kind and accomplished people...


      And they aren't being bleached you freak!

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  12. I am a doctor working in the UK. Official medicine had no cure for my child who was diagnosed as high functioning autist. We followed treatment protocol as described in Mrs Rivera's book "Healing the symptoms known as autism" (sec. edition). Prior to treatment my son was not able to write 2 sentences (he is 9). After the treatment he improved so much that he can now type on the typewriter 3 full pages. He is the best in his class in spelling and literature, he is meeting the targets in math, he loves ICT. Improvements were so dramatic and happened so soon after we started the protocol that I have absolutely no doubts that they were induced by it. Treatment was neither painful nor traumatic (I used all medication and procedures on myself at the same time). His teacher told us that she has never seen such an improvement in her life. At this stage I have to stay anonymous since I could loose the licence to practice in UK. Once I left this country I will publish our case on the web. I wish to all parents and effected children the same as happened to our family. God bless you all. Stay strong Kerri Rivera!

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    1. Somehow I doubt you are a doctor but people like you would take liberties with the title. If you are a medical doctor, you should be stripped of your license. You are bleaching your child you disgusting excuse for a parent.

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    2. God bless you for speaking up. This kind of writing and fear mongering are turning people away from MMS that could save their lives, it;s not just autism, it's watching my friends die of a spate infection because of articles like this, when I cure mine in 10 days... the crime is this article!

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    3. Science mom, this doctor improves the life of his child by a hundredth fold and you insult him? Who pays you dear?

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    4. Ah, the shill argument....of course, we aren't the ones advocating giving bleach enemas to children....

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    5. Dear Anonymous, please tell me how you know unequivocally that "this doctor" improves the life of his child? And also, how do we know you aren't paid to shill for him?

      See how that works?

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    6. Science mom, you are blantantly nuts.

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    7. Apparently Autmom thinks it's just fine to bleach children and for quacks to promote disgusting and dangerous nostrums.

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    8. CD is not bleach for God sake.Try bleaching your clothes in it & see what happens. Nil Zilch. The sun will bleach your clothes more effectively than CD. Those who believe the Big Pharma shill propaganda that CD is bleach are chemistry ignorant. I have been successfully using CD treatment on my 14 year old son for 6months. His self injurious, violent behaviour has diminished. His concentration and sticking at tasks improved along with his and our family's quality of life. None of the therapies and conventional meds we dutifully followed delivered a 10% of what CD therapy has. Children and families of autistic children all around the world are quietly using CD therapy because it works to the chagrin of big pharma psycho tropic drug pushers.

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    9. Anonymous, you sure about CD/MMS not being bleach? http://www.thinkingautismguide.com/2013/01/mms-yes-it-is-bleach.html
      This is typical of ignorant fools like you taking medical matters into your own hands. Bleach is a classification, not a single chemical substance. You are bleaching your special needs child you abusive ditchpig.

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  13. MMS works, I've used it for 8 years and gotten rid of a staph infection in 10 days that the doc was giving me FOUR different antibiotics for, I got rid of gingivitis, and a urinary tract infection that kept recurring for over 25 years, gone forever in 6 days. THINK, people. If you had a 2 cent cure, a simple salt (sodium chlorite) that is harmless to the body but helps the immune system fight parasites, virus, and bacteria, would not the industry associated with these diseases FREAK OUT? They are, like in this article. I would not go without it. They can't ban it because the meat and vegetable industry uses it daily. If you go to the FDA website they tell you it's safe on the code and their own studies.Then they tell you that ingesting it as per Jim Humble (or Kerri's) protocol is unsafe. Sure it is, for your pockets. [Code of Federal Regulations]
    [Title 21, Volume 3]
    [Revised as of April 1, 2015]
    [CITE: 21CFR173.300]

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    1. So, you advocate for giving bleach enemas to autistic children then, do you?

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    2. You must be a serious slob if you couldn't get rid of a staph infection, gingivitis and a UTI. And MMS isn't a simple salt; it's a bleach.

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    3. Usually if something sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true. You don't see anything fishy about a cure that claims to cure all of those pathologies with zero side effect? You don't think the placebo effect is playing a role here?

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  15. MMS works! I have tried it myself in 2014 and I have become healthier since. I used to suffer from recurring flu all year round maybe once a month. Since 2014, I have had only a day or two flu like symptoms, however, I would recover the next day without taking any medicine. Please research this well before jumping into conclusions. Ask and you shall find. God Bless you all.

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  16. I am concerned about a family member using this on their child. Science Mom or Lawrence, can either of you point me to where I might find proof this harms children? Surely, with all these people using it on their children for the last few years, there has to be some documented cases of children dying or suffering irreversible damage to their organs. I need something I can show them to stop them from taking this path.

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    1. Notice nobody came forward with the proof? Now you see what a lot of hot air is being blasted. Prosecutions are pecuniary-based, not for poisoning, assault, attempted murder. Anyone with half a brain can see what's going on here.

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  17. Shills are going A wall because the interet is exposing their LIES. FREE MARKETS mean testimonials and anecdotal evidence is KING. Look at what it did to the PC industry.

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    1. Really? That's just funny....since that's exactly what con men rely on to con their marks....I mean, why would you need evidence when you can just take random strangers' word for it, right?

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  18. Maybe of interest. There is a great list of resources for parents with ASD children at http://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/autism-resources-parents/

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  19. If MMS creates "industrial grade bleach", why did it not bleach the dark fabric I tested it on? I just mixed the drops. Didn't even add any water to dilute it.

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  20. I mixed the MMS drops with the activator. If it creates industrial grade bleach, why did it not bleach the fabric that I tested it on? I did not even dilute the drops with any water?

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