There's no good evidence that GcMAF is of any particular use as a treatment for anything and the fact that it's derived from blood products means particular care would be needed when giving this sort of thing to people.
In 2015 the MHRA (Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) shut down a Cambridgeshire factory (UK's MHRA Shuts Down GcMAF Plant, 27 Feb 2015) that had been producing GcMAF (also known as First Immune). The product itself is unlicensed / unapproved (effectively 'banned') so may not be marketed for anything and the equipment used to produce it may have been contaminated because poor manufacturing processes were in place.
It was also banned from import into Guernsey in Feb 2015 and their health department urged users or former users of GcMAF to contact their GP.
David Noakes, CEO of Immuno Biotech Ltd, is a former Guernsey resident who appeared on The One Show in 2015 talking about GcMAF - the interview did not appear to go well.
He and colleagues* appeared at Southwark Crown Court yesterday before their trial begins on 5 Nov (or possibly in 2018, conflicting reports "All four will stand trial at the same court next year.") - it's expected to take six weeks.
Further reading
- 'Wonder drug' creator to stand trial (1 Nov 2017) ITV Report
- David Noakes bailed ahead of 2018 trial (1 Nov 2017, 14:32) BBC News
"He also denied money laundering in relation to £7m paid into Immuno's Guernsey bank accounts and a further £2m Noakes raked in personally from sales of GcMAF." - David Noakes bailed ahead of 2018 trial (1 Nov 2017, 16:47) BBC News
- Banned 'wonder drug' creator 'risked patient safety to pocket millions from sale of outlawed medicine made from human blood as a cure for cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis and autism' (1 Nov 2017) Daily Mail
"Noakes denied two counts of manufacturing a medicinal product without a manufacturer's licence, two of selling or supplying medicinal products without market authorisation, one of possessing an unauthorised medicinal product without market authorisation and money laundering." - Guernsey Government's document on 'The Medicines Law and GcMAF - Frequently Asked Questions' (26 March 2015) [Web Archive copy]
- Drug banned in Guernsey amid fears it's not suitable for consumption (4 Feb 2015) ITV Report
Things to bear in mind
There are several different ways in which an untested alternative "treatment" can cause harm -
1) by containing an ingredient that's harmful, or by being prepared in such a way that means harmful ingredients are present at problematic doses
2) by being utterly harmless but containing nothing of use and offering no real help - wasting time for getting real treatment and wasting money
3) by offering false hope
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Comment policy: I enthusiastically welcome corrections and I entertain polite disagreement ;) Because of the nature of this blog it attracts a LOT - 5 a day at the moment - of spam comments (I write about spam practices,misleading marketing and unevidenced quackery) and so I'm more likely to post a pasted version of your comment, removing any hyperlinks.
Comments written in ALL CAPS LOCK will be deleted and I won't publish any pro-homeopathy comments, that ship has sailed I'm afraid (it's nonsense).