Experts warn against 'miracle cure' for autism

Experts have warned to be aware of a toxic bleach-based liquid marketed as a 'miracle cure' for autism after two complaints were received by authorities in the last month.

Police in Kent and Thames Valley responded to two incidents involving Miracle Mineral Solution or Master Miracle Solution (MMS) which claims to 'cure' autism and illnesses such as HIV and cancer.

The product is sold by a US-based church Genesis II Church of Health and Healing run by former Scientologist Jim Humble and is said to cure everything by 'purging' the body.

But tests on the liquid found it was a 28% solution of sodium chlorite, equivalent to industrial-strength bleach.

Humble, who describes himself as Archbishop of the church, claimed that the toxic liquid could be used as an enema to 'cure' children of autism.

He wrote: "Enemas have been around for ages and serve as a safe and effective way to gently clean the colon when problems with digestion and/or elimination occur.

"Benefits have been observed repeatedly as a result of using a highly diluted amount of MMS in the enema solution."

Last week, a mother of a teenage son with autism was given advice by Kent Police after a bottle of the liquid was found in her home.

Police said that she freely surrendered the product, which had not been opened, and it was disposed of.

A spokesman for Kent Police said: "The possession of the bottle was not illegal. The item was surrendered freely. It was unopened. There is no live police investigation in relation to this."

The incident comes just under a month after Thames Valley Police confirmed that a complaint was made about another parent of an autistic child in possession of the product.

A spokesman said: "Following concerns raised by a third party, Thames Valley Police referred the case to the local children's services and there was no criminal investigation."

In June, Trading Standards warned against an event in Farnham that was peddling the hocus potion.

They warned that if taken as directed it could cause "severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, potentially leading to dehydration and reduced blood pressure."

A statement by Surrey Trading Standards said: "Children are more vulnerable than adults to the ill-effects of the products and consumption by them is particularly dangerous."

The UK Food Standards Agency and authorities in the USA have likened it to "industrial-strength bleach" and warned against consuming the product.