Online DCA peddler shut down

After months of controversy, American FDA officials have finally shut down BuyDCA.com, a California website operated that sold the drug dichloroacetate (DCA) to cancer patients -- even though its safety or effectiveness have yet to be tested.

Jim Tassano*, a pest-control specialist and the owner of the site, recounts the visit he received from the FDA on his other site, which is dedicated to DCA information and discussion:

"Chris [one of the FDA officials]... got to the point and said that we were manufacturing DCA as a cancer cure...
"I explained that we made no claims on the www.buydca.com site, no advertising, made no mention that we were offering DCA to treat cancer. Our site does state that it was the same material used in the University of Alberta studies, but that was all.
"However, they stated what counted was our 'intent.' Since DCA is not an FDA-approved cancer drug, if our intent was to sell it as such, despite the lack of claims or statements, we were in violation."

Kate Law, clinical trial director of Cancer Research UK, couldn't be happier:

"It is important that all new treatments are carefully investigated to make sure they are effective and safe for use in patients. DCA is no exception so we are pleased that the FDA has taken the decisive action to limit the sale of DCA over the internet."

But some of The DCA Site's users are furious:

"The gestapo tactics used by these "officials" are a crime."
"may karma bite their arses----this isnt nice but i hope they experience the effect of cancer...perhaps then attitudes will change...i wish my illness upon all FDA staff. how dare these {Bleep} take away my hope and personal choice????"
"Has anyone considered contacting the President of the United States?"

Meanwhile, Drs Akbar and Humaira Khan at Medicor Cancer Centres in Toronto continue to prescribe DCA to cancer patients. (NRM first covered DCA in April: "Quacks pervert U of A doctor's discovery.")


*Update -- July 30, 2007: Mr Tassano commented to the Edmonton Sun about the FDA shut-down: "I’d hoped they’d ask us to modify it, not close it... Terminally ill people don’t believe the government should be dictating what they put in their bodies."

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