DESPITE the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicines’ test results showing that Saengchai “Mor Saeng” Haelerttrakul’s herbs do not hinder cancer, the folk healer remains defiant and vows to continue giving out his herbal capsules free of charge to thousands of people who queue up in front of his house every month.
Supporting him is that the results show these herbs do help improve cancer patients’ quality of life.
Last Tuesday April 24, this department’s deputy director general Dr Pramote Sathianrat, Department of Medical Services deputy director general Dr Narong Aphikulvanich and National Cancer Institute director Dr Weerawut Imsamran said test results show these herbs do not inhibit cancer.
In a joint discussion on this issue, Dr Narong said his department took herb samples from Mr Saengchai and conducted a test at the laboratory using different concentration levels of the herbs to determine the effect they may have when fused in fluid, in blood, and in high concentration.
The samples were then tested against seven types of cancer cells which were breast cancer and the remainder from pancreatic, lung, gastric and colorectal cancers.
The tests results showed that the sample herbs have no effect in terms of inhibiting the cancer cells. They can, however, be beneficial to cancer patients’ quality of life.
To further conduct the test on animal or humans, Dr Narong said that it would require more thorough discussion in many aspects and would take more time.
Cancer patients should receive treatment from both traditional and modern medicines to preserve maximum benefits, not just rely on any single approach.
“Especially for patients in the latter stages, Mor Saeng’s medicine may only be able to sustain the condition. The patients are recommended to receive both (approaches) if their cancer is still in early stages,” said Dr Narong.
The deputy director general also mentioned that even though no poisonous or toxic substance was found in the sample, which means they are harmless to consume, the department has as yet been unable to classify the herbs as a health product.
According to Mr Saengchai or Mor Saeng, what the department has conducted was only a lab test in a tube, but it is another story when the medicine goes through blood vessels in a human body.
The folk healer insisted he would continue giving away his herbal medicine to the public because they are relying on it. He would still get ready to travel to give away his medicine in 3 southernmost provinces on Wednesday May 2.
Mor Saeng also insisted that cancer patient should receive both traditional and conventional medical treatments. He has always been telling the public that he never considered himself a medical doctor and that he just wanted to help those who have no way out.
He would continue to offer free herbs until he could not do so anymore, which might be in not so distant future.
Recently, Mor Saeng confirmed a rumor to the media that after 12 years of free herb giveaway, he might sell his medical formula to foreigners.
Currently, there are contacts from many countries such as Germany, United States, France and China for example.
“If I keep being attacked about how my herbs are of no use in this manner, why would I keep it with myself? What can I do when the patients want them but the doctor says it wouldn’t work? Should I just give it to others who wanted it?”questioned Saengchai.
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Top: Mor Saeng, inset, and the herbal capsules he gives out to the needy public. Photo:Post Today
By Piboon Awasdaruharote
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