The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued a stern warning about the dangers of unproven cancer treatments being marketed online, urging patients to be cautious of illegal therapies. These treatments, including experimental gene therapies and so-called cancer vaccines, are being offered directly to patients in several countries without any evidence of their safety or effectiveness.
The EMA stressed that within the European Union, these advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) can only be provided under strict regulatory oversight—either through authorized clinical trials or with special approval from national authorities. However, some clinics and companies have bypassed these regulations, advertising treatments online as miracle cures, preying on the desperation of patients and their families.
Among the therapies of concern are dendritic cell treatments, often touted as cancer vaccines that can activate the body’s immune system to fight cancer. Despite their growing popularity, these therapies have not been proven to work and can cause serious side effects. The EMA emphasized that unregulated treatments may be poorly manufactured, contaminated, or improperly stored, leading to harmful health consequences.
The warning comes as regulators are intensifying their efforts to crack down on illegal medical practices. The EMA urges patients to report any suspicious treatments and reminds the public that legitimate therapies should always be backed by clinical evidence and authorized by health authorities.
Patients are advised to be cautious of companies labeling treatments as “experimental” while offering them outside of clinical trials, making unproven claims, or refusing to confirm regulatory approval.
In recent cases, such as an international investigation into a Spanish company, millions of euros were made by selling illegal treatments to hundreds of cancer patients across Europe. The EMA is working closely with law enforcement to stop these dangerous practices.
The EMA’s final message is clear: be cautious of unregulated treatments advertised online or on social media, as they may cause more harm than good.
