Experts saying tonic water is ‘snake oil cure’

A tonic being used to treat cancer by hundreds of patients is effectively diluted bleach and a ‘‘snake oil cure’’, according to experts.

A company with a Taranaki dairy farmer and an American doctor as major shareholders is selling the water product called Te Kiri Gold while conducting an inhouse clinical trial slammed by experts. But despite the trial not meeting international guidelines, Medsafe (NZ Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority) and the Ministry of Health are not investigating.

Desperate terminally ill patients appear to be ignoring medical advice to take the product.

The claims of therapeutic benefit first came to light in late 2016 when rugby great Sir Colin Meads spoke of its healing properties after his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Although Meads has since backtracked, he said at the time the solution had extended his life expectancy and ‘‘it’s doing me real good’’. Organic dairy farmer Vernon Coxhead says he developed Te Kiri Gold (TKG) over three years and drove to Te Kuiti to give it to Meads.

Coxhead does not claim the product is a medicine, saying only it improves quality of life.

But he is quick to point to testimonials from users of Te Kiri Gold who claimed it cured their cancer. He declined to provide the details of any of those who made those claims.

‘‘I can’t run around and say, I’ve got a cure for cancer. They’d just shoot me down straight away.’’

Coxhead says interest in TKG exploded after Meads spoke of its effect. He estimated that over 500 people were now taking TKG, and said he was ‘‘forced’’ to charge for the product this year to meet costs.

A 2-litre bottle sells for $100. At its highest dose, customers are advised to drink 600ml a day for eight weeks, the equivalent of 17 bottles. Otherwise, customers take 50ml a day, amounting to one $100 bottle a month. ‘‘They only take it for eight weeks at that high dose, and then once they decide they’re clear or they decide they’re in remission, they don’t take it any more, but some people do.’’

Coxhead said Te Kiri Gold is electrolysed water, though he modifies it slightly.

Waikato University associate professor of inorganic chemistry Graham Saunders says this amounts to ‘‘basically dilute bleach’’.

Electrolysed water is a known disinfectant. Saunders said it is created by passing an electrical current through saltwater, creating hypochlorous acid, which remains in the water. ‘‘What happens is the hypochlorous acid eventually breaks down into chlorine gas and the gas is lost from the water, that’s why swimming pools smell of chlorine,’’ Saunders says.

TKG has this familiar smell, and is labelled as containing less than 1 per cent hypochlorous acid.

At such a level, it is likely harmless, but at a higher potency, it can cause burning, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

Dr Shaun Holt, who lectures on clinical trials and natural medicine at Victoria University Wellington, said everything about the sale of Te Kiri Gold is disturbing.

‘‘[Electrolysed water] is one of those known quack, snake-oil cancer cures. It’s been peddled out here under this local brand; there’s not a jot of research I’ve ever seen that shows it might work.

‘‘This looks to be as bad as anything I’ve seen. All the warning bells of alternative cancer cure nonsense are here in droves.’’

Holt has led over 50 clinical trials in his career and says the claimed TKG trial was ‘‘light years away’’ from meeting any international or national standard.