Nevada Assemblywoman Michele Fiore said recently that she will propose a “Right to Try” bill in her state. But it’s not the bill itself that gained national attention. Instead, it was Fiore’s statement that she believes cancer is “a fungus” that can be cured by “flushing, let’s say, saltwater, sodium carbonate” through the body.
Just to be clear, right up front: Cancer is not a fungus. It is the uncontrolled division of abnormal human cells within the body. Saltwater cannot cure cancer.
But the idea that something as simple and clean as water mixed with sodium carbonate (or more often, the theory goes, sodium bicarbonate or baking soda) persists, as Fiore’s statement indicates. The American Cancer Society has a lengthy post on its Web site debunking the idea.
Since the language of Fiore’s bill isn’t yet available, it’s impossible to say whether her measure would even allow access to the sorts of treatments she’s mentioning. However, “Right to Try” bills have started popping up in state legislatures over the past year or so, as The Washington Post has reported. Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan and Missouri have their own versions of the measures on the books, and Utah is considering one.
Advocates usually note that the bills can help people access promising new drugs before the FDA’s approval process is complete. Opponents, however, say that the measures are unnecessary, because the FDA already has a process to provide access to experimental drugs.
Read full, original article: A lawmaker who believes saltwater and baking soda can cure cancer
