Criticism
The book has been the focus of much controversy since its publication, with widespread allegations of fraud. The New York State Consumer Protection Board issued a warning in 2005 that the book "does not contain the 'natural cures' for cancer and other diseases that Trudeau is promising." It asserted that "Trudeau is not only misrepresenting the contents of his self-published book, he is also using false endorsements to encourage consumers to buy Natural Cures "They" Don’t Want You to Know About." The Board also alleged that Trudeau was selling the consumer's contact information to other marketers without their consent and hitting purchasers with unauthorized charges.
Skeptical author Michael Shermer writes:
As for the "natural cures" themselves, some are not cures at all but just obvious healthy lifestyle suggestions: eat less, exercise more, reduce stress. Some of the natural cures are flat-out wrong, such as oral chelation for heart disease, whereas others are laughably ludicrous, such as a magnetic mattress pad and crocodile protein peptide for fibromyalgia. Worst of all are the natural cures that the book directs the reader to Trudeau's Web page to find. When you go there, however, and click on a disease to get the cure, you first have to become a Web site member at $1000 lifetime or $9.95 a month. It is a classic con man's combo: bait and switch (the book directs them to the Web page) and double-dipping (sell them the book, then sell them the membership).
Shermer and other critics have argued that Trudeau has used Natural Cures to circumvent a Federal Trade Commission ruling that Trudeau is barred "from appearing in, producing, or disseminating future infomercials that advertise any type of product, service, or program to the public." The FTC issued its decision after it found that Trudeau had defrauded consumers by making numerous false claims about his merchandise in infomercials.
Others have criticized the book for making such claims as, "If your body is alkaline, you cannot get cancer and if you have cancer, it goes away."
The book makes extensive unreferenced claims that some drugs cause such conditions as AIDS, headaches, bloating, indigestion, heartburn, nausea, allergies, asthma, fibromyalgia, arthritis, diabetes, constipation, yeast infections, dandruff, acne, halitosis, fatigue, depression, stress, and inability to lose weight.
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