The Federal Trade Commission warned 11 companies that promised they had successful cures for cancer to stop making such claims. Moreover the agency has charged five companies with making "unsupported claims" in the marketing of products to treat cancer and managed to get assurances from six others to cool it down.

The five companies sued are Omega Supply, Native Essence Herb Co., Daniel Chapter One, Gemtronics and Herbs for Cancer. The six companies the agency came to an agreement with are Nu-Gen Nutrition, Westberry Enterprises, Jim Clark's All Natural Cancer Therapy, Bioque Technologies, Cleansing Time Pro and Premium-essiac-tea-4less.

"Many of these products are scams," Lydia Parnes, the director of the agency's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement, "and let's face it, when you're battling cancer, the last thing you need is a scam."

The FTC representatives also want to help educate consumers about these pseudo cancer cures, so that people would stop once and for all from trying these cures instead of receiving proper effective cancer treatments. The FTC has also created a site where people can check out these possible bogus cancer cures. Its address is: www.ftc.gov/curious. The site also contains a list of resources on cancer treatments available in both English and Spanish.

In order to avoid being prohibited from selling their products, the 11 companies will be obliged to notify consumers who purchased the products challenged in the complaints that there was little or no scientific evidence to demonstrate the products’ effectiveness for treating or curing cancer. They also must warn these customers to consult with their doctors about the products immediately.