Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently declared that he will greatly expand people’s access to experimental and alternative medical treatments, even while acknowledging that a “lot of charlatans” are likely to take advantage of suffering people as a result.
“If you want to take an experimental drug—you can do that, you ought to be able to do that,” Kennedy told Brecka.
And he’s no stranger to backing alternative treatments that have next to no evidence supporting their use.
During this latest interview, for instance, he referenced chelation and stem cells as unproven therapies that people should have easier access to.
But in alternative medicine circles, chelation is regularly used to “cleanse” people of supposed toxins dubiously blamed for a bevy of chronic illnesses, including autism.
The Trump administration is going to be a great time for snake oil salesmen. F. Robert. Kennedy, Jr. A “lot of charlatans” are likely to exploit those who are suffering as a result of his recent announcement that he will significantly increase people’s access to experimental and alternative medical treatments.
RFK, Jr. made the announcement in a recent interview with Gary Brecka, a self-described biologist, biohacker, and longevity expert who hosts the Ultimate Human Podcast. Brecka reportedly holds two bachelor’s degrees in biology but is not a licensed medical professional. Kennedy claimed that Americans would have easier access to treatments that are currently prohibited by health regulators during his tenure as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
“You should be able to take an experimental drug if that’s what you want to do,” Kennedy informed Brecka.
While many patient advocates have advocated for more lax regulations pertaining to off-label or experimental treatments, other experts have warned that it’s crucial to balance safety and better access. Kennedy’s strategy is not likely to reach that level.
To begin, Kennedy has long disseminated false information regarding nutrition, vaccines (one of the best medical interventions ever developed), and other health-related issues. He is also no stranger to advocating for alternative therapies that have scant evidence to support their efficacy. For example, he mentioned stem cells and chelation as unproven treatments that people ought to have easier access to in this most recent interview.
The study of stem cell medicine is a respectable and expanding area. Yet, direct-to-consumer stem cell clinics frequently overstate their advantages, asserting that stem cells can cure anything from long-term COVID to cancer. This cottage industry has grown rapidly in the United States in recent years. A. and abroad, and because they fell for the hype, some patients suffered serious injuries. People who have visited these clinics have suffered from bacterial infections, pulmonary embolisms, and other severe side effects, such as blindness.
Chelation therapy may even worsen the risk-balance equation. Chelation is the use of medications that attach to heavy metals in the body and enable their excretion through urine. It works well for some types of toxic exposures or acute poisoning. But in the realm of alternative medicine, chelation is frequently used to “cleanse” people of purported toxins that are dubious in their association with a wide range of chronic illnesses, including autism. People have been harmed or killed after using chelation for purposes that are not authorized, just like with stem cells.
Even though he dismissed it as inevitable during his interview, RFK appears to have been fully aware of the possible risks associated with making these treatments more widely available.
According to him, “there will undoubtedly be a lot of charlatans and people with poor outcomes.”. And in the end, there is no way to stop that. We are not succeeding if we leave the entire situation to the pharmaceutical industry. “.”.
