Max Gerson

Max Gerson
Born(1881-10-18)October 18, 1881
Wongrowitz, Province of Posen, German Empire
DiedMarch 8, 1959(1959-03-08) (aged 77)
New York City, U.S.
CitizenshipAmerican (from 1942)
Alma materAlbert Ludwig University of Freiburg
OccupationPhysician
Years activec. 1909–1958
Known forGerson therapy, a dietary-based alternative cancer treatment

Max Gerson (October 18, 1881 – March 8, 1959) was a German-born American physician who developed the Gerson therapy, a dietary-based alternative cancer treatment that he claimed could cure cancer and most chronic, degenerative diseases. Gerson therapy involves a plant-based diet with coffee enemas, ozone enemas, dietary supplements and raw calf liver extract, the latter was discontinued in the 1980s after patients were hospitalized for bacterial infections.[1][2][3]

Gerson described his approach in the book A Cancer Therapy: Results of 50 Cases (1958). The National Cancer Institute evaluated Gerson's claims and concluded that his data showed no benefit from his treatment.[4] The therapy is both ineffective and dangerous.[3][5][6] Serious illness and deaths have resulted from Gerson therapy.[3][7]

  1. ^ Schwarcz, Joe (2017). "What is Gerson therapy?". McGill University. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference mmwr was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c "Unproven Methods of Cancer Management: Gerson Therapy". CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 40 (4): 252–255. 1990.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference nci-hp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  7. ^ Lyman, Gary H. (2015). Oxford American Handbook of Oncology. Oxford University Press. p. 201. ISBN 978-0199922789 "Gerson therapy consists of a strict low-sodium diet, consumption of large amounts of juice from fruits, vegetables, and calf liver, and frequent coffee enemas. No credible cancer cures have resulted from this therapy, and deaths from the therapy have been reported."