1億多美元！「酸鹼體質」「大師」被判向癌症患者賠償巨款！

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1億多美元！「酸鹼體質」「大師」被判向癌症患者賠償巨款！

林立豐 BUMBLEBEE英語課堂今天

e葯環球（一點資訊）

葯明康德/報道

據外媒報道，美國有一位宣傳「酸鹼體質」理論的暢銷書作者，被法院判處賠償一位癌症患者1.05億美元，原因是他號稱自己是醫生，並建議那位患者放棄化療等正規治療。

圖片來源：《聖地亞哥聯合論壇報》網頁截圖

據報道，這一判決是刑事判決結束後的民事賠償。在這之前，這位「酸鹼體質」理論大師已經因為無證行醫被監禁了一段時間。在刑事審判時，檢方將他稱為「向重病患者兜售偽科學的江湖醫生」，並指出他的博士頭銜是花錢從非法的「學位作坊」買來的。

患者的律師表示，他希望這一判決能夠影響到那些號稱「包治」癌症的「神醫」們。

一個拉大旗扯虎皮的謠言

說到「酸鹼體質」，讀者是不是感到很熟悉？沒錯，「酸性體質是萬病之源」這個說法曾經一度非常流行，到現在也時常可以看到：

圖片來源：微信搜索網頁截圖

正如國外也有「酸鹼體質」理論大師一樣，「酸性體質是萬病之源」在英文當中竟然也有對應的話：「An acid body is a magnet for sickness, disease, cancer and aging.」

網路上曾經流傳，美國約翰霍普金斯大學的「最新癌症研究報告」裡面就有「酸性體質是萬病之源」的說法。不錯，約翰霍普金斯大學醫學院官方網站確實出現過這句話，但那是為了闢謠，為了批駁這句話。「酸性體質是萬病之源？真相：一言以蔽之，我們的專家對此的回答是『否』。根本不存在酸性體質和鹼性體質。」闢謠文章還指出，真正有效的癌症治療，仍然是正規醫院的正規治療。

圖片來源：約翰霍普金斯大學醫學院網頁截圖

為什麼「酸鹼體質」不靠譜

有時候，宣揚「酸鹼體質」的文章會拿出一些研究報告，這些研究顯示在實驗室中，癌細胞在酸性（低pH）環境中快速生長，但在鹼性（高pH）環境中無法存活。

這些研究結果確實存在，但它們僅適用於隔離實驗室環境中的細胞。要想改變人體的細胞環境，來創建一個酸性較低、較不適宜癌細胞生存的環境，幾乎是不可能的。

人體的酸鹼平衡受到幾種機制的調節，其中包括腎功能和呼吸功能。因此，人體內的pH值只會在一個極窄的範圍內波動，即使是體內pH值的輕微變化也會危及生命。

例如，患有嚴重腎病和肺功能障礙的患者通常依靠透析機和機械呼吸機（分別），來避免哪怕是輕微的酸鹼平衡破壞。

「酸鹼體質」理論的支持者認為，避免某些食物、吃另一些食物會改變身體的pH值，但這些主張與人體化學的研究結果完全不符合。

「酸鹼體質」理論的支持者可能會檢測尿液的pH值，來顯示食物、飲料和保健品會影響尿液的酸鹼度。這時候，聰明的讀者可千萬別被騙了，因為前面講過，腎臟就是調節人體酸鹼平衡的重要器官，實際上，過量的酸或鹼通過尿液排出，就是為了幫助維持體內適當的pH平衡。

最後，希望更多受害者拿起法律武器，保護自己和更多人不受偽科學的傷害。

相關的新聞來源有：

1 The San Diego Union-Tribune

Jury awards $105M in suit against pH Miracle author

2 Global Times

Product claims to adjust pH level, helps male births in China

Robert O. Young, seen here during hiscriminal trial in Vista in 2016, was on Monday told by a San Diego jury to pay$105 million to a cancer patient who said he held himself out as a doctor and counseled her to forego traditional treatment. Young wrote the pH Miraclebooks.

Teri Figueroa

A San Diegojury sided against the author of the bestselling pH Miracle books this week,ordering him to pay $105 million to a cancer patient who said the author held himself out as a doctor and counseled her to forego traditional medical treatment.

The large award — more than double what the woman had sought — comes roughly 16 months after a criminal case ended with the author, Robert Oldham Young, going to jail for a few months for practicing medicine without a license.

Young — who on Friday called the judgment 「a fraud」 — has written several books, including the bestselling 「The pH Miracle: Balance Your Diet, Reclaim Your Health.」 First published in 2002, his flagship book has been translated into several languages.

「It』s totally outrageous,」 Young said of the verdict when reached by phone Friday afternoon. 「It』s one-tenth of a billion.」

He also said it was 「appalling」 that the jury awarded so much more than the plaintiff had sought.

Young』s work — and treatments provided at his Valley Center ranch — were based on the theory that acidity in the body is the cause of disease, and that an alkaline diet is the answer.

In 2015, cancer patient Dawn Kali sued Young in San Diego Superior Court allegingnegligence and fraud. She said he had advised her to forego chemotherapy and traditional treatment, and instead go with treatment in line with his alkaline theories.

Patrick Swan, one of Kali』s attorneys, said his 45-year-old client』s oncologist said Kali has about three or four years to live. She now has stage four cancer.

The civil trial in San Diego Superior Court lasted roughly seven days,withdeliberations lasting less than half a day. The verdict came back Wednesday.

The $105 million award includes nearly $90 million for pain and suffering,and $15 million for punitive damages.

Swan said Kali — who has four children, including an 8-year-old — feels「vindicated」 by the verdict.

『The jury listened carefully and understood the gravity of the evidence,and rendered a verdict that was commensurate with the damage Ms. Kali suffered,and will suffer,」 Swan said.

He also said he hopes the verdict 「will have an effect on the 「miracle,cure-all cancer industry.」

Young』s attorney, Conrad Joyner, said his client believes that his views have been suppressed because they are not in line with the medical establishment.

「No matter if you believe in the pH Miracle or disbelieve it, it』s clear that Robert believes it,」 Joyner said. 「He sincerely believes what he is doing.」

He also said Kali — who at some point worked for Young — was aware that Young』s theories were outside of the establishment.

Young did not have a civil attorney during much of the case. Joyner was retained just a few months ago as it neared trial.

Joyner said he sees the case as 「ripe for appeal.」

「I have never heard of a jury case with that much damages where the jury comes back in about three hours,」 Joyner said. 「I wonder how much thought they really put into it.」

Young said there was 「a tremendous amount of evidence」 he was not allowed to present to the jury. He said he would appeal.

The year before Kali sued Young, he had landed in criminal court following his arrest in January 2014 after an investigation by the state medical board.

During the criminal trial, Deputy District Attorney Gina Darvas painted Young as acharlatan who made money peddling pseudoscience to desperate, dying people.

She argued that Young』s degrees came from a nonaccredited 「diploma mill」where Young went from a bachelor』s degree to a doctorate in about eight months in 1995.

The criminal case highlighted his controversial theories and the pricey treatments he offered to seriously ill or dying patients, who in some cases were given intravenousfluids mixed with baking soda at $500 a pop.

Young』s criminal defense attorney argued his client was under attack for espousingalternatives to traditional medicine. He said people sought Young』s help specifically because he was not a doctor, but rather a naturopathic practitioner.

In early 2016 — after weeks of trial — a North County jury found Young guilty of two counts of practicing medicine without a license. The panel deadlocked on several remaining changes.

Facing retrial, Young struck a deal that put an end to the criminal case.He spent several months in jail as part of his sentence.

As part of the deal, the prosecutor insisted on a specific condition:Young had to make a public admission declaring that he is not microbiologist,hematologist, medical or naturopathic doctor or trained scientist. He did so incourt.

Young』s supporters have defended him and his work, have said he was characterized unfairly during his criminal trial, and that he has helped several people.

Treatments are no longer provided at Young』s property, which sits on more than 40 acres.

The estate, known as Rancho del Sol, is up for sale, with a $3.2 million price tag. It is also advertised as a place for short-term vacation stays.

During most of the North County criminal case, including trial, Young was represented by a private attorney.

By the time he was sentenced, he was out of money and had to be represented by a public defender.

【注釋】

1 forego：摒棄；摒絕；放棄；

2 award：（可數名詞）（賠償金等的）裁定額；

3 appalling：令人震驚的；使人驚駭的；極為惡劣的；非常的；

4 plaintiff：原告；起訴人；

5 chemotherapy：化學療法；化療；

6 attorney：（美國的）律師；

7 oncologist: 腫瘤學家；

8 deliberations：（複數名詞）審議；評議；商議；

9 punitive：處罰的；懲罰性的；

10 commensurate with：（比例）相當的，相稱的；

If the level of one thing is commensurate with another, the first level is in proportion to the second；

11 charlatan：騙子；假充內行的人；

12 pseudoscience：偽科學；假科學；

13 intravenous：（食物、藥品）靜脈注入的；

14 espouse：支持；擁護；

15 naturopathic：自然療法的；

16 practitioner：執業醫師；從業者；

17 hematologist：血液學家；

Catering to Chinese parents preference for sons over daughters, a Chinese company is thriving over a product that claims to adjust the pH level of a womans body, and thus help them give birth to males.

Gynecologists reached by the Global Times challenged the effectiveness of the product and warned that there is nothing scientific which can prove that the pH value of the mother can determine a babys gender.

An online sales representative of Jianyunbao, a product from Foshan Yuankang Food Trade Ltd in South Chinas Guangdong Province, told the Global Times reporter who posed as a customer that by taking pills of Jianyunbao a woman can raise the pH level of her body to make it more alkaline and thus make sperms with Y chromosomes more likely to survive.

The sales representative on Jianyunbaos online Taobao shop, who goes by the online name Xiaoying, said the longer a woman takes the pill, the better the effect and recommended that women start taking the pill at least two months before pregnancy.

Its advertised ingredients include spirulina （螺旋藻）, broccoli, corn flour, calcium lactate （乳酸鈣）, xylitol （木糖醇） and Vitamin C.

Xu Congjian, a gynecologist and director of Fudan Universitys Obstetrics （產科）and Gynecology （婦科） Hospital, told the Global Times on Thursday that there exists no scientific evidence which shows that changing the pH level of the mother can determine the sex of the child. He called the product "nonsense."

Another doctor from Southwest Chinas Sichuan Province who requested anonymity compared the product to "seaweed crackers," and said taking the pills would not be much different from drinking soda water.

The product costs 798 yuan ($126) for two bottles with a total of 60 pills.

The company recommends one pill be taken a day.

Xiaoying claims that they have been selling the products for years and have been tested to be safe.

As of press time, the product has received 589 good reviews and zero bad reviews on its Taobao shop. Some customers said they wanted to have a baby boy.

Despite campaigns for gender equality, many Chinese parents, especially those in rural areas, view boys as an investment and girls a liability.

The product also claims to be based on a patented technology, but information from theState Intellectual Property Office showed that the patent is still pending and has not yet been confirmed.

Newspaper headline: Product claims to adjust pH level, helps male births

Posted in: SOCIETY

【注釋】

1 Gynecologist：婦科醫生；