Cure for cold

[n2o2]

Would a natural remedy that stops cold from developing would be qualified for the $1M?

I have developed that solution 3 years ago and have tested it on over 40 people (mainly my family).

I have sufficient funds to do any type of testing requred by JREF.

Kreamer, should I apply?

 

[Tricky]

Would a natural remedy that stops cold from developing would be qualified for the $1M?

I have developed that solution 3 years ago and have tested it on over 40 people (mainly my family).

I have sufficient funds to do any type of testing requred by JREF.

Kreamer, should I apply?

How do you show they would have gotten a cold without your remedy? You would have to do some baseline recording of how many colds they got before you started your treatment. Sorry, anecdotes won't do.

But if you really have a solution that prevents colds, then you are just playing for chump change with the JREF million. Your discovery would be worth many millions on the open market. Just be sure you retain rights.

 

[n2o2]

My thinking is to take 10 or 20 people, infect them with cold (nose drops)and then 5 use placibo and 5 use my remedy or any other type of double blind study.

 

[Aoidoi]

My thinking is to take 10 or 20 people, infect them with cold (nose drops)and then 5 use placibo and 5 use my remedy or any other type of double blind study.

Medical studies on humans are rather fraught with ethical concerns. What happens if your solution turns out to be carcinogenic, for example? Or someone is allergic?

However, from the description I'm not sure why this would be paranormal. I mean, cold medicine is readily available, that one could be developed by an amateur seems unlikely, but hardly paranormal.

My grandmother used to give us a spoonful of some kind of brandy (plum?) to fight colds. Dunno if it "worked" but at least it tasted good.

 

[webfusion]

are plums and elderberries related?

How about this? (product of Israel)

Sambucol

Sambucol was recommended by Dr. Andrew Weil on Larry King Live, aired November 10, 2004

 

[jmercer]

Would a natural remedy that stops cold from developing would be qualified for the $1M?

I have developed that solution 3 years ago and have tested it on over 40 people (mainly my family).

I have sufficient funds to do any type of testing requred by JREF.

Kreamer, should I apply?

Seriously, nitrous oxide, if you think you really have a preventative for colds, forget the million. It's pocket change. You could put yourself in a position where you'd be paying more than that in income tax every year.

Don't waste time on the Challenge - patent your remedy, lock it in, get some studies done, and if it proves true - you will be a RICH MAN. OTOH, with a handle like "laughing gas", I doubt you really have something.

Remember I told you so, and please send me half a million or so.

 

[Beleth]

My thinking is to take 10 or 20 people, infect them with cold (nose drops)and then 5 use placibo and 5 use my remedy or any other type of double blind study.

If this procedure works as intended, you will successfully infect 5 people (the placebo people) with the cold. This would violate the "likely to cause injury" prohibition in the Challenge, described in the last sentence of the last paragraph in the Challenge itself, and is further explained in section 2.4 of the FAQ.

Is there another method of testing available which does not require infecting people?

 

[melba]

"Is there another method of testing available which does not require infecting people?"

Well, yes. You would need a large sample of individuals. Half are assigned to medication, half to control (placebo) condition for the duration of the cold season. Measure the incidence of colds in each group and compare results with appropriate statistical procedures at the end. This is the basic set-up for many types of drug research. However, there are still additional steps to make the study sound. For instance, making sure that the study is truly double blind, matching the groups (control versus experimental) on relevant variables (such as general health status),

The trouble is that this kind of research is not viable for a DIY approach (particularly problems with the double blind aspect). You need an impartial individual expert in medical research.

----
By the way, the apparent effects of the cold remedy may be "only" placebo effects. But placebos are not always bad. As long as a placebo is harmless, inexpensive and does not detract from legitimate treatment, a placebo can be a really good thing.

 

[n2o2]

Cold

You all made very good points. Thanks for the feedback. So as I understand I should not proceed with it as it relates to the prize.

Best regards

 

[webfusion]

maybe you should

"So as I understand I should not proceed with it as it relates to the prize." states n202.


It depends, if your stuff is really excellent tasting, like the Chicken Soup my grandmother makes, then you might find that there is still potential.

(Chicken Soup is famous as being 'Jewish penicillin')

Two things are necessary for winning the prize:

1. Proof.

2. (see #1)

 

[n2o2]

Sure

OK, I am ready to follow any protocol required to prove that it works. (I will foot the bill for all expences). Is this fair enough?

 

[T'ai Chi]

Re: maybe you should

Two things are necessary for winning the prize:

1. Proof.

2. (see #1)

So "proof" and not "evidence"?

Seem to be holding to a high standard, higher than in science even.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Re: Re: maybe you should

So "proof" and not "evidence"?

Seem to be holding to a high standard, higher than in science even.

What the hell are you talking about? I have "evidence" that I am 20 feet tall. But I have no proof. So I should win the million?

 

[webfusion]

not expensive at all

"Is this fair enough?' asks n202 ----

If your stuff is better tasting than my grandma's Chicken Noodle Soup and you can devise a safe protocol that allows you to eliminate all colds from an entire elementary school in your town this spring, I would say you might pass the preliminary. The final test, for the million $$$, would be to eliminate colds from another entire elementary school this fall. (It would have to be another school, since the first school kids would already now be taking your formula regularly, since it worked so well).

Keep in mind, the parents might raise some objection to their kids taking your concoction at all. I would imagine the school nurse might object as well, plus the local health department could intervene and disrupt your plans, too.

For that matter, how did you get your relatives to agree? Have they all been cold-free since taking your home-made prevention?
(anecdotal, but we're curious anyway to know those results).

Keep in mind, I can't even get my 12-year old son to take Sambucol, despite what I perceive to be its benefits (I have not had a cold in 17 years, since taking a daily dose after I first discovered it while living in Israel).

Does your brew also stop allergic symptoms?
Again, I am curious, what does it taste like?

 

[steenkh]

My thinking is to take 10 or 20 people, infect them with cold (nose drops)and then 5 use placibo and 5 use my remedy or any other type of double blind study.

Can nose drops really cause cold to break out? I was at a lecture about cold many years ago, and one message that stuck with me was that these vira lived in our bodies all the time, and that people exposed to a lot of them did not develop more colds than others. The idea being that there were other factors that caused a cold to develop.

But this information is more than 30 years old, and science could have moved on since then.

 

[CFLarsen]

I have a cure for cold.

1) Drink one bottle of wine.

2) Go to bed.

OK, it's not a cure, but at least you won't worry about having a cold....

 

[Kevin_Lowe]

It sounds like any kind of medical preventative is by its very nature a claim that probably can't be tested under the challenge.

Which is okay. It's the Foundation's million.

As others have said the medical system is really where this claim belongs, rather than the JREF challenge. The JREF isn't set up to do proper large-scale clinical trials.

 

[n2o2]

Scool

Dear Webfusion

The mixture has mint flavor. I am currently manufacturing it in the ISO9001:2000 certified facility with the food grade approvals. There are two parts to it: Throat spray – 2 oz bottle and Nose spray – 1oz bottle. The concept is very simple: Preventive- I use it after any encounter with the large group of people- airport, shipping mall, school, work Usually 1-2 sprays in the mouth all it takes. Once cold starts- At the first sign of the cold (scratchy throat, may be sneezing, dripping etc) start spraying – throat every twenty minutes, nose – every 10-15 minutes for 2 hours.

Preventive – you will not get sick. If you forget to do it and fell that you are getting sick, the cold will be stopped in 24 hours. In rare cases cold will develop, but the severity will be one tenth of the normal cold and no headaches.

I have explained everything to my relatives and they agreed to use it. I also provide it free of charge to all of my employees (100 people) (There are no liability issues since it is all natural)

Typically I have 1 bottle at work in a drawer, one in my car, one at my bed stand and one in the kitchen. The bottom line is the faster you start using it the faster you get over the cold. After all I do not get pleasure of being sick or someone feeling sorry for me.

I have also used it on 2 infants and 2 - 5 year old with cold stopped in 24 hours. With small kids it is a little harder since they do not tell you when they are getting sick until they are fully infected.

 

[Ashles]

Can we ask what technology it is based on?
Obviously we don't expect the details, but have you discovered some form of antiviral agent?
Does it work on known aspects of biology?
Or is it a specific herb that you just feel prevents colds?
Or is it a homeopathic remedy?

Could you tell us roughly what area your spray falls into?

And are you medically trained?

I understand if you don't wish to answer, but if you really do wish to go ahead with applying for the JREF prize then this would all be interesting information.

Also where, roughly, are you located?


Editied to add: And the name of the person you need to contact is KRAMER, not KREAMER

 

[Starrman]

(There are no liability issues since it is all natural)

Cobra venom is all natural - can we spray that into people's throats without liability?

I have also used it on 2 infants and 2 - 5 year old with cold stopped in 24 hours.

If you made up some mixture of un-tested stuff and you are spraying it into the throats of infants and children, you are not being very smart.

No offense here, but you sound an awful lot like an infomercial.