The Rainbow Scam Report

Health Fraud

(403) 245-0533 / (403) 651-9049

Health fraud is the one kind of fraud that really gets our interest level peaked. To actually take advantage of vulnerable, desparate people undergoing health issues bothers us to no end.

Unfortunately in Canada, health fraud traditionally has not been a high priority for enforcement agencies for a variety of reasons. The U.S. has been far more aggressive in going after health fraud artists.

Some general links on health fraud are provided here, from the Competition Bureau in Canada and the FDA in the U.S.

We have broken down health fraud into 3 categories

• a) fraudulent health products which in Canada is a federal responsibility
• b) fraudulent health services, which is a Canadian provincial responsibility
• c) poor quality research, which in Canada has both federal and provincial aspects to it.

Role of Health Fraud Advocates

In an area that is so poorly enforced by the authorities, the role of volunteer health fraud advocates cannot be overemphasized. These advocates are not appreciated well, but in fact are hugely important to helping expose the frauds.

Canada's leading health fraud advocate is Dr. Terry Polevoy of Waterloo, Ontario, and his many websites can be accessed here:

In the U.S., Dr. Stephan Barrett is the leading health fraud advocate, and his main information site known as Quackwatch can be accessed here.

Finally, a European site, which is also very good at uncovering health frauds, is run by Dr. Paul Lee and can be accessed here.

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