Feds Say ‘the Lord’s’ Cancer Cure is Bogus

WASHINGTON (CN) - A husband and wife radio show team are peddling bogus cancer cures through their "ministry" - saying "the Lord has provided" them - despite an FTC cease-and-desist order, federal prosecutors say. Uncle Sam says James Feijo of Portsmouth, R.I., and his company, Daniel Chapter One, push snake oil for cancer on radio and the Internet.

In its federal complaint, the United States claims that Feijo and his wife Patricia huck their products on a call-in radio program that airs nationally on the Accent Radio Network, and also push products on an online bulletin board called "the Daniel Chapter One Fellowship."

Patricia Feijo is not named as a defendant, though the complaint states that "Defendants advertise their products on a call-in radio program airing Monday through Friday on the Accent Radio Network, which is broadcast on many stations around the country. Defendant James Feijo and his wife Patricia Feijo are the hosts of this radio program. Defendants also advertise their products on, among other places, an online bulletin board called the Daniel Chapter One Fellowship."

Prosecutors say the Feijos take callers' questions on cancer treatments and try to skirt the cease-and-desist order by "encourag(ing) other individuals to call into their radio show to answer consumers' questions about which Daniel Chapter One products prevent, treat, or cure medical conditions. Individuals call in response to this request and discuss their experience using Daniel Chapter One products to prevent, treat, or cure their medical conditions, including cancer, and recommend that others use Daniel Chapter One products."

The complaint claims that on May 28, James Feijo responded to a caller named Marcia, who "stated that her mother had just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer" by saying: "'well, let me tell you right off the bat, chemo's a lie, radiation's a lie. They've never cured anybody of pancreatic cancer with their chemo and radiation.' Patricia Feijo then told Marcia about a Dr. Kelly who 'healed his own pancreatic cancer,' and James Feijo followed up with, 'so there are other options out there.' Patricia Feijo continued, by saying:

"'He healed himself naturally. And he begins his book with it was a blessing in disguise that [he] didn't have health insurance and couldn't go for chemo or radiation. But I just wanted to explain to you, Marcia, that we're under a cease and desist order. So, Jim and Tricia, at Daniel Chapter One and the other people here ... can't tell you what Dr. Kelly did or what we have done over the years. ... But hopefully someone will call in and - because they've heard you now and will call in and help you out with the kinds of things naturally that your mom can do. And the other thing is you can join our fellowship and get - or your mom can directly and get fellowship that way, get ministry, rather. ... Some health ministry. (Emphasis added.)

"James Feijo then gave Marcia detailed instructions for signing up for the fellowship (the online bulletin board), and encouraged other listeners to call in to help Marcia:

'So we're going to ask someone to give us a call right now. The other thing is,

Marcia, is you can go to Danielchapteronefreedom.com. ... And you can join the

DC 1 Fellowship and people from all over the country are helping each other,

okay? ... And people with all types of cancers, all people have our materials. ...

Do we have someone with an answer for her here?"

(Ellipses, parentheses and brackets as in complaint.)

Prosecutors say that on the Feijos' online bulletin board, a "Global Moderator" who calls himself David responded to a request for a drug to fight melanoma by saying: "We believe the Lord has provided the following products to help in healing," then listed the Feijos' dietary supplements.

Among the Feijos' "supplements" are BioShark, 7 Herb Formula, GDU and BioMixx. They sell BioShark capsules, which are mostly made of shark cartilage, for $31. "Global Moderator David" says on Daniel Chapter One's bulletin board that two to four capsules three times a day will fight tumors.

Prosecutors say the 7 Herb Formula is a liquid tea concentrate containing rhubarb root, sheep sorrel, Siberian ginseng and cat's claw; the GDU capsules contain bromelain, turmeric, quercetin, feverfew and boron.

On Feb. 1 this year the FTC issued a final order that went into effect April 2, prohibiting Daniel Chapter One "from representing that BioShark, 7 Herb Formula, GDU, and BioMixx prevent, treat or cure any type of tumor or cancer, without possessing and relying upon competent and reliable scientific evidence that substantiates the representation."

But prosecutors say James Feijo and Daniel Chapter One have continued to do just that, and further violated the order by failing to send notice within 45 days to all consumers who bought the bogus products after Jan. 1, 2005.

"Absent injunctive relief by this court, defendants are likely to continue to injure consumers, reap unjust enrichment, and harm the public interest," the government says.

Doctors say that the harm from such schemes is not done directly from the products, which often are benign, but because people may take the "alternative" products instead of getting medical treatment.

The government wants an injunction preventing further violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act, and civil penalties, restitution, refunds paid and disgorgement of ill-gotten gains.

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