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[[image:rath.jpg|Matthias Rath|thumb]]

[[image:rath.jpg|Matthias Rath|thumb]]

[[image:Rathpropaganda.jpg|typical propaganda|thumb]]

[[image:Rathpropaganda.jpg|typical propaganda|thumb]]

'''Matthias Rath''' (born 1955 in Stuttgart / Germany) is a controversial German physician, businessman, vitamin entrepreneur and politician. He is the inventor of an [[alternative medicine]] called "[[cellular medicine]]" (in German: Zellularmedizin) which according to Rath can "heal" severe diseases like AIDS or cancer.  

'''Matthias Rath''' (born 1955 in Stuttgart / Germany) is a controversial German physician, businessman, vitamin entrepreneur, and politician. He invented an [[alternative medicine]] called "[[cellular medicine]]" (German original: Zellularmedizin) which according to Rath is able to "heal" severe diseases like AIDS or cancer.  

Rath sells several products in Europe, ("[[micronutrient]]s" and vitamins), which are marketed from the Netherlands for legal reasons. (see: [[Dr. Hittich Gesundheitsmittel]]) <!-- Cannot find an english website of Hittich. Skip that one for en-Wiki? -->Rath runs the "Dr. Rath Health Foundation" which was closely associated with "Health Now" Inc., and he also founded a "Dr. Rath Research Institute".

Rath sells several products in Europe ("[[micronutrient]]s" and vitamins) which are marketed from the Netherlands for legal reasons. (see: [[Dr. Hittich Gesundheitsmittel]]) <!-- Cannot find an english website of Hittich. Skip that one for en-Wiki? -->Rath runs the "Dr. Rath Health Foundation" which was closely associated with "Health Now" Inc., and he also founded a "Dr. Rath Research Institute".

Rath has put millions in advertising to portray himself as a savior of the sick who is oppressed by the pharmaceutical industry (whose products he sells!). Some of his products may indeed not be sold in several countries, e.g. Germany, because they exceed the safety limit for vitamins in nutritional products. In that case, they do not count as nutritional products but as medical drugs and need to be certified as such. Studies that prove the effectiveness would have to be provided, a feat Rath was not able to accomplish for now.

Rath has spent millions in advertising to portray himself as a saviour of the sick who is oppressed by pharmaceutical industry (whose products he sells!). Some of his products may indeed not be sold in several countries, e.g. in Germany, because they exceed the safety limits for vitamins in nutritional products. In this case, they will not be regarded as nutritional products but as pharmaceuticals and need to be certified as such. Studies that prove the effectiveness would have to be provided, a feat Rath was not able to accomplish for now.

Rath came into conflict with the law of South Africa several times since he advised Hiv/Aids-sick people against antiretroviral therapy and promoted his own cellular medicine instead.

Rath came into conflict with South Africa law several times since he advised persons suffering from HIV/AIDS against antiretroviral therapies and instead recommended his own cellular medicine.

==Overview cellular medicine==

==Overview cellular medicine==

The claims of healing properties of the [[cellular medicine]] have been shown as invalid by scientific studies. In industrial nations vitamin deficiency is very seldom a problem and would have to be diagnosed individually. Only then the actually missing vitamins should be substituted. An overdose of vitamins can have grave sideeffects. That's especially the case for liposoluble vitamins.

The alleged healing properties of [[cellular medicine]] have been proven as invalid by scientific studies. In industrial nations vitamin deficiency is a very rare problem and needs to be diagnosed individually. Only then the vitamins actually missing should be substituted. An overdose of vitamins can have grave side-effects. This is especially the case with liposoluble vitamins.

This doctrine can been seen as an interpretation of [[orthomolecular medicine]] (OM), which is based on the ideas of Linus Pauling.  

This doctrine can been seen as an interpretation of [[orthomolecular medicine]] (OM) which is based on the ideas of Linus Pauling.  

Pauling himself has been criticized for making overbroad claims.<ref>Barrett, SJ (2001-05-05). [http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/pauling.html "The dark side of Linus Pauling's legacy], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quackwatch Quackwatch]</ref> Rath's attempts to give his own exaggerated claims scientific semblance are hindered by the fact that even Pauling's work does not really support them. His employment by the Linus Pauling Institute ended in a fallout and he sued it for interfering with his business relationships.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/12/matthiasrath.southafrica</ref>

Pauling himself has been criticized for making overbroad claims.<ref>Barrett, SJ (2001-05-05). [http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/pauling.html "The dark side of Linus Pauling's legacy], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quackwatch Quackwatch]</ref> Rath's attempts to give his own exaggerated claims scientific semblance are obstructed by the fact that even Pauling's work does not really support them. His employment with the Linus Pauling Institute ended in discord and he sued the institute for interfering with his business relationships.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/12/matthiasrath.southafrica</ref>

==The case Dominik Feld==

==The case Dominik Feld==

[[image:Rathdominikfeld.jpg|Rath with Dominik Feld|thumb]]

[[image:Rathdominikfeld.jpg|Rath with Dominik Feld|thumb]]

[[image:Rathdominik090204.jpg|Marketing campaign|left|thumb]]

[[image:Rathdominik090204.jpg|Marketing campaign|left|thumb]]

The case of the young boy Dominik Feld, who fell ill with metastatic bone tumor and died while being treated with ''cellular medicine'' was widely covered by German media. Rath had declared the cancerridden nine-year-old ''healed'' at various events as a marketing scheme for the effectiveness of his vitamin pills.<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-36625928.html The case Dominik Feld in the german magazine "The Spiegel"]</ref> The parents, who believed in Rath had stopped the chemotherapy treatment of their son in May 2003, they had hoped for better healing chances with Rath's products. They started to treat him with micro-nutrients, the vitamin products of Dr.&nbsp;Rath. They took him to a clinic for [[alternative medicine]] in Tijuana, Mexico, which treats according to Rath's methods. The nine-year-old boy died on the first of November 2004.

The case of Dominik Feld who developed a metastatic bone tumor and died while being treated with ''cellular medicine'' was widely covered by German media. Rath declared the cancer-ridden nine-year-old ''healed'' during various events, as a marketing scheme for the effectiveness of his vitamin pills.<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-36625928.html The case Dominik Feld in German magazine "The Spiegel"]</ref> The parents, believing in Rath, had stopped their son's chemotherapy treatment in May 2003, and hoped for better healing prospects using Rath's products. They started treatment with micro-nutrients, the vitamin products of Dr.&nbsp;Rath. They took their son to a clinic for [[alternative medicine]] in Tijuana, Mexico which applies treatment according to Rath's methods. The nine-year-old boy died on November 1, 2004.

Quickly Rath placed several commercial ads which claimed that the boy had not died from cancer, but from coronary failure and malpractice - botched by the normal medicine. Alas, the autopsy of the boy found a big tumor in the breast, which had pressed on lung and heart.<ref>[http://www.swr.de/report/presse/-/id=1197424/nid=1197424/did=2560136/1tf7kd5/index.html German News on "Der Fall Dominik"]</ref><ref>[http://de.wikinews.org/wiki/Todesermittlungsverfahren:_Dominik_Feld_starb_an_metastasierendem_Knochenkrebs_und_Tumorkachexie Wikinews on Dominik Felds death]</ref><ref>[http://www.aerzteblatt.de/v4/news/news.asp?id=25742 German Ärzteblatt on Dominik Feld]</ref>

Quickly, Rath placed several commercial advertisements claiming the boy did not die from cancer, but from coronary failure and malpractice - a botch-up by orthodox medicine. Unfortunately, the autopsy established a big tumor in his chest which had applied pressure on lung and heart.<ref>[http://www.swr.de/report/presse/-/id=1197424/nid=1197424/did=2560136/1tf7kd5/index.html German News on "Der Fall Dominik"]</ref><ref>[http://de.wikinews.org/wiki/Todesermittlungsverfahren:_Dominik_Feld_starb_an_metastasierendem_Knochenkrebs_und_Tumorkachexie Wikinews on Dominik Felds death]</ref><ref>[http://www.aerzteblatt.de/v4/news/news.asp?id=25742 German Ärzteblatt on Dominik Feld]</ref>

Rath wrote about the death of the Dominik Feld:<ref>[http://www.abendblatt.de/vermischtes/article710180/Dominik-tot-Ermittlungen-gegen-Krebs-Arzt.html German newspaper on Dominik Feld and the investigation against Rath]</ref>

Rath wrote about the death of the Dominik Feld:<ref>[http://www.abendblatt.de/vermischtes/article710180/Dominik-tot-Ermittlungen-gegen-Krebs-Arzt.html German newspaper on Dominik Feld and the investigation against Rath]</ref>

:''"Jetzt bist du endlich frei, Dominik! Hier auf der Erde warst du gefangen, festgehalten auf einer Insel der Krebskranken. Wie Millionen Krebspatienten mit dir warst du angekettet an die Fesseln der Chemo-Medizin."''

:''"Jetzt bist du endlich frei, Dominik! Hier auf der Erde warst du gefangen, festgehalten auf einer Insel der Krebskranken. Wie Millionen Krebspatienten mit dir warst du angekettet an die Fesseln der Chemo-Medizin."''

:''"Now you are free, Dominik, Here on earth, you were imprisoned, held on an island of the cancerafflicted. Like millions of cancer patients with you, you were chained in the shackles of the chemotherapy"''

:''"Now you are free, Dominik! Here on earth you were imprisoned, held on an island of the cancer-afflicted. Same as millions of cancer patients, you were chained by the bonds of the chemotherapy"''

==Matthias Rath and AIDS==

==Matthias Rath and AIDS==