714-X , also referred to as 714X or trimethylbicyclonitramineoheptane chloride , is a mixture of substances manufactured by CERBE Distribution Inc and sold as an alternative medical treatment which is claimed to cure cancer , multiple sclerosis , fibromyalgia and other diseases. ^[1] There is no scientific evidence that 714-X is effective in treating any kind of cancer, ^[2] and its marketing is considered health fraud in the US. ^[3]

History [ edit ]

714-X was developed by Gaston Naessens, a native of France and tried there for practicing medicine without a license . Naessens moved to Quebec and continued his research from the early 1970s. ^{[ citation needed ]} In 1989 he was arrested but acquitted from charges of accessory to murder, after a cancer patient using 714-X died following refusal to take conventional medical treatment. ^{[ citation needed ]}

The name "714-X" was chosen by Naessens to symbolize his initials (the 7th and 14th letters of the alphabet) and the year of his birth (1924, as X is the 24th letter). ^[4] The marketers claim that 714-X works by counteracting the harm done by "somatids", a purported life form which is not bacterial , viral , or fungal , but which instead belongs to a distinct domain unknown to science and medicine. ^[5]

Sales of 714-X have been banned in the US by the Food and Drug Administration , and in 1996 Charles Pixley was tried and jailed for advocating and distributing it. During proceedings Pixley claimed it was the re-branding of a homeopathic beverage, known prior to the establishment of the FDA, however Naessens later said that it was completely different and has nothing to do with homeopathy. ^{[ citation needed ]}

Composition [ edit ]

714-X is advertised as containing camphor combined with excess nitrogen , ammonium salts , sodium chloride , and ethanol . ^[4] An analysis by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that 714-X was 94% water, with small amounts of the other salts and less than 0.01% camphor. ^[3]

Administration [ edit ]

714-X is typically injected into the lymphatic system through the groin . Alternatively, it may be inhaled via a nebulizer . ^[5]

Safety and effectiveness [ edit ]

No studies have been published on the safety or efficacy of 714-X in humans, and the few available animal studies have shown no beneficial effect. ^[4] The American Cancer Society has stated: "There is no scientific evidence that 714-X is effective in treating any type of cancer or any other illness." ^[2]

Legal issues [ edit ]

The FDA has banned both import and sale of 714-X as health fraud , and at least one prison sentence has been handed down for importing it into America. ^[3]

714-X is manufactured in Canada , where it is legal to purchase for personal use through a physician under the Special Access Programme ^[6] of Health Canada , a law which provides access to non-marketed treatments for terminal illnesses when no marketed alternative exists. However, in October 2004, Health Canada told the manufacturer to remove all references to the compound from its website. ^[2] On July 28, 2006, Justice Francois Lemieux of the Federal Court of Canada granted a request for judicial review undertaken by a group of 714-X patients. The judgment voided Health Canada's policy statement and restored access to 714-X under the Special Access Programme under certain conditions. ^{[ citation needed ]}

See also [ edit ]

• List of ineffective cancer treatments

References [ edit ]

External links [ edit ]

• Questions and Answers About 714-X : National Cancer Institute
• Profile of 714-X : American Cancer Society
• Fanciful Claims for 714X : Quackwatch