714X

714-X or 714X, also referred to as "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.

History

714-X was developed by Gaston Naessens, a native of France who has lived and worked in Quebec since the early 1970s. 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).[2] The marketers claim that 714-X works by counteracting the harm done by "somatids", a fictional life form which is not bacterial, viral or fungal, but which instead belongs to a distinct domain unknown to modern science and medicine

Composition

714-X is advertised as containing camphor combined with excess nitrogen, ammonium salts, sodium chloride, and ethanol.[2] An analysis by the U.S. 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.

Administration

714-X is typically injected into the groin. Alternately, it may be inhaled via a nebulizer.

Safety and effectiveness

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.[2] 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."[5]

Legal issues

The FDA has banned both importation and sale of 714-X as a form of health fraud, and at least one prison sentence has been handed down for importing it into America.

714-X is manufactured in Canada, where it is legal to purchase for personal use through a physician under the Special Access Programme of Health Canada, a "compassionate use" law which provides access to unproven treatments for terminal illnesses when no recognized alternative exists. However, in October 2004, Health Canada told the manufacturer to remove all references to the compound from its website.[5] On July 28, 2006, Justice François Lemieux of the Federal Court of Canada granted a request for judicial review undertaken by a group of 714X patients. The judgment voided Health Canada's policy statement and restored access to 714-X under the Special Access Program.