Federal officials are investigating Genesis II Church of Health and Healing for selling a so-called "miracle cure" for autism, which turns out to be nothing more than a household bleach.
The miracle cure, or more commonly known as Master Mineral Solution (MMS), is marketed as a treatment that can not only cure autism, but also handful of diseases including cancer, acne, hepatitis and AIDS. It can be bought online for $12.94 per four ounce bottle and $96 for a package of 12 bottles.
The U.S. Food and Drugs Administration have already issued a warning on MMS and other unproven treatments for autism in 2014. However, self-proclaim god and leader of the Genesis II Church responded to the FDA's warning saying they "should get on and tell everyone how poisonous the FDA-approved drugs are," according to a report from New York Daily News.
Lab results on the MMS revealed that the miracle cure contains sodium chloride, which is primarily used as a bleaching agent and disinfectant. Federal prosecutors then proceeded to say that the miracle cure could be more useful in cleaning swimming pools and kitchen countertops, but not cure autism or any other diseases used in its advertisement.
"They might as well be selling Clorox," said Ben Mizer of the U.S. Department of Justice, who has overseen the prosecution of at least one person selling the miracle cure, in a report from ABC News. "You wouldn't drink Clorox, so there is no reason you should drink MMS."
At present, Humble is being prosecuted for selling the fraudulent cure. Mizer noted that forming a church won't protect anyone from being prosecuted for selling fake cures for any kind of diseases. Humble currently resides in Mexico as federal prosecutors continue to scrutinize his church and fraudulent cures.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 68 children living in the US was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2012. Furthermore, about 1 in 6 children in the US had developmental disability, ranging from mild disabilities such as speech and language impairments to serious developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy and autism, in 2006 to 2008.