Matthias Rath
Matthias Rath (born 1955 in Stuttgart / Germany) is a controversial German physician, businessman, vitamin entrepreneur and politician. He is the inventor of an alternative medicine, the so called "cellular medicine" (in German: Zellularmedizin) which according to Rath allegedly "heals" severe diseases like AIDS or cancer. This doctrine can been seen as an interpretation of orthomolecular medicine (OM), which is based on the ideas of Linus Pauling.
Pauling himself has been criticised for making overbroad claims.[1] Raths attempts to give his exaggerated claims scientific semblance are hindered by the fact that even Paulings work does not really support them.
Rath sells several products in Europe, ("micronutrients" and vitamins), which are marketed for legal reasons from the Netherlands. (see: Dr. Hittich Gesundheitsmittel)
The claims of healing properties of the cellular medicine have been shown as invalid by scientific studies. In industrial nations vitamin deficiency is very seldom a problem and would have to be diagnosed individually. Only then the actually missing vitamins should be substituted. That's especially the case for liposoluble vitamins.
Rath has put millions in advertising to portray himself as a savior of the sick and that the pharmaceutical industry (whose products he sells!) oppresses him. Some of his products must not be sold in several countries, e.g. germany, because they exceed the saftey limit for vitamins in nutritional products. They do not count as nutritional products anymore but as medical drugs and are more rigorously controlled. Also, studies that prove the effectiveness would have to be provided, a feat Rath was not able to accomplish till now.
Rath runs the "Dr. Rath Health Foundation" which was closely associated with "Health Now" Inc., and he also founded a "Dr. Rath Research Institute". In Europe, his products are sold from The Netherlands.
The case Dominik Feld
Matthias Rath and AIDS
Rath as politician
Legal cases
Versions of this article in other languages
- deutsch: Matthis Rath
Weblinks
- ↑ Barrett, SJ (2001-05-05). "The dark side of Linus Pauling's legacy, Quackwatch