Well being and Human Companies Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. doubled down on his help for non-pharmaceutical well being therapies throughout a current podcast look, saying, “We’re going to finish the battle on the FDA in opposition to different medication.”
Talking on the Final Human podcast with host Gary Brecka, a “famend Human Biologist, biohacker, and longevity skilled,” in accordance with the web site, Kennedy mentioned he would repair the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration’s bias in opposition to the next: stem cell therapies, chelating medicine, nutritional vitamins and minerals, amino acids, peptides, and hyperbaric chambers.
“Our place is that the FDA has a job: Simply do the science on these sorts of points after which inform the general public what they’ve realized from the science … however don’t inform physicians what they will and can’t prescribe,” he mentioned. And so far as the sufferers go, he mentioned, “If you wish to take an experimental drug … you ought to have the ability to try this.”
RFK Jr. added, “We don’t need to have the Wild West. We need to ensure that data is on the market. However we additionally need to respect the intelligence of the American folks” to determine what therapies will profit them probably the most.
He acknowledged that, with this strategy, there will probably be “charlatans” in addition to “individuals who have dangerous outcomes” from varied different therapies.
“However finally,” he mentioned, “you possibly can’t stop that both manner, and leaving the entire thing within the palms of pharma shouldn’t be working for us.”
Brecka referred to as Kennedy’s pronouncements “music to my ears.”
Beneath, what it’s good to know concerning the different therapies RFK Jr. is advocating for.
Stem cell remedy
What’s it: It’s a solution to restore diseased or injured tissue within the physique utilizing stem cells—cells that may self-renew or grow to be different kinds of tissues—usually grown in a lab, manipulated, after which be implanted into the affected person.
What it does: Although it’s thought-about to be largely experimental, the FDA does allow stem cell therapies for blood and immune issues. Leukemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma, and a number of myeloma, for instance, are additionally usually handled this fashion, with bone marrow therapies, that are backed by many years of science. Different kinds of the therapy are nonetheless in scientific trials, whereas an increasing number of wellness facilities are providing the therapy for unapproved causes, utilizing cells drawn from the affected person’s physique and injected again in with out manipulation for every part from autism and ALS to Parkinson’s and higher pores and skin, in accordance with the New York Instances.
Kennedy informed Brecka that he obtained the therapy for his voice dysfunction, spasmodic dysphonia, and that it helped him “enormously,” however that he needed to go to Antigua to entry it.
Dangers: For starters, wellness clinic therapies can not assure they’re utilizing precise stem cell, reported the Instances. And improper injections can result in a number of horrible penalties—clots, infections, blindness, and even the formation of tumors, which the FDA warned of in 2021.
Chelating medicine
What it’s: Chelation includes using sure chemical substances to take away poisonous heavy metals, comparable to mercury and lead, from the physique; all FDA-approved chelation remedy merchandise require a prescription and may solely be used safely underneath the supervision of a healthcare practitioner.
What it does: Some different medication practitioners provide chelation remedy, by means of capsule or injection, as a solution to deal with Alzheimer’s, autism, diabetes, hypertension, or Parkinson’s illness, all of that are unapproved and dangerous.
Youngsters’s Well being Protection, based by Kennedy, has written about chelation as a solution to deal with autism, which compares “autism with mercury poisoning” resulting from childhood vaccines that contained the preservative thimerosal (largely mercury) earlier than it was eliminated in 2001. Some flu photographs nonetheless comprise the preservative, however, says the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, “There isn’t any proof of hurt attributable to the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines.”
Dangers: The FDA warns particularly about utilizing chelation remedy for autism, and notes, “Chelating necessary minerals wanted by the physique can result in critical and life-threatening outcomes.” Whereas minor dangers might embrace fever, headache, muscle ache, and nausea or vomiting, extreme reactions vary from coronary heart failure and kidney harm to respiratory failure and seizures, in accordance with the Cleveland Clinic.
Nutritional vitamins and minerals
What they’re: Dietary dietary supplements in nearly each letter of the alphabet, from A to zinc, are over-the-counter drugs or liquids that comprise dietary boosts of nutritional vitamins and minerals.
What they purpose to assist: Vitamin and mineral dietary supplements purpose to fill in with crucial vitamins that an individual shouldn’t be getting by means of meals—although nutritionists consider that wholesome meals is the very best supply of such nutritional vitamins and minerals. Research have discovered dietary supplements might assist with virtually any subject underneath the solar—vitality, coronary heart points, cognitive operate, intestine well being, sleep, and extra.
Dangers: The U.S. Meals and Drug Administration regulates dietary supplements, however doesn’t approve them for security or effectiveness earlier than they’re bought to the general public. Some might trigger liver harm and toxicity, whereas others could be a waste of cash.
Amino Acids and Peptides
What it’s: Amino acids are sometimes called the “constructing blocks of proteins,” wanted for constructing proteins, hormones, and neurotransmitters. are compounds that play many crucial roles in your physique. You want them for very important processes comparable to constructing proteins, hormones, and neurotransmitters. Amino acids are concentrated in protein-rich meals comparable to meat, fish, and soybeans, and meals that comprise all 9 important amino acids are referred to as full proteins.
Peptides are quick proteins, and are available within the type of hormones comparable to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and creatine and collagen.
What they purpose to assist: Amino acid dietary supplements might assist with varied points—comparable to L-arginine for blood circulation and irritation; tryptophan for temper and sleep; and valine, leucine, and isoleucine to assist with vitality and athletic efficiency.
Taking collagen dietary supplements might assist strengthen nails and bones, whereas folks take creatine for enhancing exercises and constructing muscle development.
Dangers: Unwanted side effects of taking both can vary from toxicity and gastrointestinal points to results on mind operate muscle protein steadiness. Creatine might trigger muscle cramps and digestive issues (and might not have many advantages), whereas tryptophan might trigger dizziness, headache, or nausea. And once more, as with all dietary supplements, the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration regulates them, however doesn’t approve them for security or effectiveness earlier than they’re bought to the general public.
Hyperbaric oxygen remedy (HBOT)
What it’s: Hyperbaric oxygen remedy in a medical-grade, FDA-approved chamber helps you to breathe pure oxygen—versus on a regular basis air, which is simply 21% oxygen combined with nitrogen. Hyperbaric oxygen can also be extremely pressurized, thereby permitting the lungs to take extra in. House chambers (utilized by people together with Lebron James, LeAnn Rimes, and Mayim Bialik), in addition to these provided in lots of wellness clinics, don’t ship 100% oxygen. As a substitute, they use common air that’s 30% extra pressurized than regular for what’s often called “delicate hyperbarics.”
What it goals to assist: The FDA has been regulating HBOT chambers since 1976, and has formally cleared 13 medical situations—comparable to decompression illness, burns, radiation harm, and sure wounds—for such therapy. Nevertheless it’s used off-label for a lot of different causes, together with concussions, traumatic mind harm, lengthy COVID, age reversal, stroke restoration, fibromyalgia, and improved mind operate, a lot of that are being checked out in ongoing scientific trials.
Dangers: For medical-grade chambers, dangers embrace ear and sinus ache, center ear accidents, momentary imaginative and prescient adjustments, and lung collapse, which is uncommon, in accordance with the FDA. For delicate hyperbarics, dangers embrace potential publicity to poisonous oils from some compressors, carbon dioxide buildup that brings a threat of hypoxia contained in the chamber—or, in accordance with some consultants and a physique of inconclusive proof, that the therapy might merely be ineffective.
This story was initially featured on Fortune.com
