Max Gerson 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.
13 Facts About Max Gerson
2.
Max Gerson was born to a Jewish family in Wongrowitz, German Empire, on October 18,1881.
3.
Max Gerson began practicing medicine at age 28 in Breslau, later specializing in internal medicine and nerve diseases in Bielefeld.
4.
Max Gerson spent two years in Vienna, before moving to France in 1935, associating with a clinic near Paris before moving to London in 1936.
5.
Max Gerson emigrated to the United States in 1936, passed his medical board examination, and became a US citizen in 1942.
6.
Proponents of the Max Gerson Therapy believe a conspiracy headed by the medical establishment prevented Max Gerson from publishing proof that his therapy worked.
7.
In 1958, Max Gerson published a book in which he claimed to have cured 50 terminal cancer patients: A Cancer Therapy: Results of 50 Cases.
8.
Max Gerson Therapy is based on the belief that disease is caused by the accumulation of unspecified toxins, and attempts to treat the disease by having patients consume a predominantly vegetarian diet including hourly glasses of organic juice and various dietary supplements.
9.
Max Gerson's therapy has not been independently tested or subjected to randomized controlled trials, and thus is illegal to market in the United States.
10.
The Max Gerson Institute promotes the therapy by citing patient testimonials and other anecdotal evidence.
11.
Max Gerson published a book discussing the alleged success of the therapy in 50 patients, but a review by the US National Cancer Institute was unable to find any evidence that Max Gerson's claims were accurate.
12.
Max Gerson rejected medical treatment and followed the diet strictly, documenting her progress in a popular blog.
13.
Max Gerson died from her untreated cancer in February 2015, aged 29.