Can Sam Cohen block the balding gene?

 Print This Post

Mr Sam Cohen of IHRB is crying foul. He proclaims that he ‘never’ said he could block the balding gene. This article will show you the kinds of vacuous protests with which his victims must contend. Let us commence with his website which the Complaints Resolution Panel has already found to be, ‘Unlawful, misleading and unverified’. The very website that he has been warned to remove, and on which he was asked to publish apologetic retractions. At the time of writing this article, IHRB and Mr Sam Cohen are in breach of those Sanctions to the tune of 2 years and 17 days!

[Update: Watch an ABC TV documentary in which Sam Cohen says he can block the balding gene.]

On the IHRB website we read an article wherein Mr Cohen puts forward his side of the story. As you can see from the screen-grab below, Mr Cohen wrote, ‘Jonar Nader complained that I was making ‘false and untrue claims in my advertising. In his complaint, he fabricated words that I never made…’ Mr Cohen then lists three aspects. Let us examine the first (all the other points will be examined in subsequent articles), concerning the claims that Mr Cohen has told people that he can block the balding gene. According to the letter on his website, which he calls, ‘My answer to Jonar Nader’s’, Mr Cohen says that he NEVER said that he can block the balding gene. He is also accusing me of ‘fabricating words’.

EXHIBIT 1: An excerpt from an article published by Mr Sam Cohen on his IHRB website wherein he protests his innocence as he tries to explain his version of events. He freely distributes that article in an effort to ensnare new unsuspecting victims.

Let us not venture too far from the Home Page of his own website. On the one hand, he protests his innocence. On the other hand, he says, on his website, simultaneously, that, ‘The “balding Gene” (DHT) can be blocked with a combination of our various “state of the art” prescribed medications…’ So, according to Mr Cohen, it was I who fabricated those words, yet here we see that he is the one who has been touting those words. Oh dear! Don’t forget that we are talking about Sam Cohen who is a convicted liar.

EXHIBIT 2: From IHRB’s website 2 December 2013. I added the red underline to show you where Mr Cohen says he can block the balding gene.

Again on the IHRB website (and in a PDF on the same website) we find this statement below which says, that IHRB’s treatment can assist in blocking the DHT.

EXHIBIT 3: From IHRB’s website 2 December 2013. I added the red underline to show you where Mr Cohen says he can block the balding gene, which he now refers to as DHT.

Also on IHRB’s website (and in a PDF on the same website) we find this statement below which says, ‘We can now block the “hormone receptors” that cause baldness…’

EXHIBIT 4: On IHRB’s own website we read that that IHRB can now block the hormone receptors.

So now let us examine some of the HUNDREDS of advertisements. Here is one where Mr Cohen warns the public and says:

‘Do lasers block the balding gene? (DHT)? NO!… Well we can! GUARANTEED!’

‘Do high frequency machine or office treatments block the balding gene (DHT)? NO!… Well we can! GUARANTEED!’

‘Will massages or minerals and vitamins do the trick? NO!… Well we can! GUARANTEED!’

‘Can they guarantee that any of the above will block the balding gene (DHT) and regrow your hair or your money back? NO!… Well we can! GUARANTEED!’

EXHIBIT 5: A typical advertisement by IHRB making wild claims which the Complaints Resolution Panel found of be unlawful, misleading, and unverified. I used green to highlight the sections. Mr Sam Cohen published an article on his page, protesting his Sanctions, asking the Complaints Resolution Panel to show him when and where he had ever uttered the phrase that he can block the balding gene. Well dear reader, do you need more proof than this? EVERY SINGLE thing that Mr Cohen had said in his article on his website about me and what had transpired, is false, misleading, or a downright lie. He is, after all, a convicted liar.

On the IHRB website, there is a link to this ad, which should never have appeared and which now should not appear because for over two years, IHRB’s ads and claims and statements have been under Sanction. They should not appear. Alas, Mr Cohen does not care. So here is the ad, on his site, that appears simultaneously with his protest.

EXHIBIT 6: An advertisement on IHRB’s website as at 2 December 2013. This ad should never have appeared. It should not be on his site, It is Sanctioned. Its contents are sanctioned. It also mentions blocking the balding gene in an underhanded way, by criticising his competitors.

Here is another ad that asks the dubious question about blocking the balding gene, and it then answers the question by making the claim (as I have underlined in green) that, The “balding gene” (DHT) can be blocked with a combination of our various “state of the art”…’ By the way, here is an article about Sam Cohen’s State of the Art of bull. The only madness behind all this is that Sam Cohen illegally sells Finasteride. He thinks he is the hero when he sells non-approved dangerous medications in high doses which can affect the DHT while causing permanent erectly dysfunction and male breasts leading to male breast cancer.

EXHIBIT 7: Another advertisement by IHRB, promising to block the balding gene.

These claims about the balding gene were sprayed about the country in a range of languages. Here is an example of the Chinese version.

EXHIBIT 8: IHRB ads have appeared in many languages, including Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic, Thai, and here is the Chinese version, talking about the balding gene.

EXHIBIT 9: The large sales folder which speaks about blocking the Genetic Baldness Gene.

And for the doozie of all evidence, we turn to the large sales folder that Sam Cohen uses to send stacks of pages of misleading testimonials to his clients. The folder says, in large type, ‘Re-grow your own natural hair back by blocking the “Genetic Baldness” Gene’. And Mr Cohen says that I fabricated those words and that he NEVER said them. Goodness gracious it is exhausting trying to combat Mr Cohen’s endless delusions.

In my letter to the Complaints Resolution Panel (CRP), I informed the CRP that the main IHRB ad emphasises the need to block DHT. And the only way that IHRB can do this is to use Finasteride which is a prescription-only product.

IHRB does use and sell Finasteride.

Finasteride is a prescription-only medication.

IHRB lists Finasteride in its price list.

IHRB lists Finasteride in its contract (called Proscar — not approved for hair. Only Propecia is approved, and Proscar must be split, hence the powder is a danger to an unborn male foetus if a woman so much as touches the powder).

IHRB sells Finasteride without a prescription.

IHRB sells Finasteride with a prescription.

With or without a prescription, it is illegal for IHRB to touch or recommend or handle or sell Finasteride. So it complicates the matter by always mentioning herbs and extracts, none of which block DHT.

This and other points above ought to prove that the ads are focussed on prescription-only medications.

IHRB’s typical ad says, ‘There is NO CURE for “genetic baldness”. The “balding Gene” (DHT) can be blocked with a combination of our various “state of the art” prescribed medications and topical solutions, herbs, natural extracts, good hygiene products, etc, enabling regrowth to re-commence and continue with a little “maintenance”.’

This aspect of the ad yet again proves that IHRB’s central promise is to block DHT. The only product that can block DHT is Finasteride, as stated above. However, note now how the ad says, ‘OUR VARIOUS “STATE OF THE ART”… products.’

What is state of the art? IHRB is saying that it is an innovative company. It is saying ‘OUR’ as if to suggest that the treatment and products that regrow hair belong to IHRB. Only Finasteride can block DHT, so what are the other products? They are completely useless red-herrings.

To the unsuspecting consumer, the ad says that IHRB is innovative and has intellectual property. Yet, when caught out, IHRB says to the authorities that it just sells harmless natural extracts. When anything goes wrong, IHRB blames doctors (even though I was given medications from day-one without a prescription and without being told that I needed my GP’s assistance. Only six months later did Mr Cohen send me to my GP who refused to co-operate with the dangerous treatment).

The DHT CANNOT be blocked with IHRB’s COMBINATION of products. It can only be blocked with one S4 product called Finasteride. So Mr Cohen is misleading and sneaky, and tries to make out that his combination of products are vital. In fact, they are part of the alleged scam.

In terms of the therapeutic goods, this aspect of IHRB’s many ads is wrong and misleading on purpose. IHRB cannot claim to have any state-of-the-art products nor anything that it can call its own, as it does by saying ‘OUR’.

The ads are misleading because they omit the side effects

Mr Cohen sold Finasteride to a client (who is known to the HCCC) without a prescription, and at no time did Mr Cohen warn the client about the side-effects which include permanent erectile dysfunction.

The ads project an innovative solution to hair growth, yet they never allude to any side effects which can be dire, including male breast cancer.

The ads are keen on blocking DHT and speak about this with ease, yet it is reported by a doctor that users of Finasteride have committed suicide due to the side effects.

Loniten and Retin-A and Minoxidil all have serious side-effects including instant death and heart failure, and severe rashes, with one IHRB client saying in a statement to a NSW Court and to the Dept of Fair Trading and the HCCC that the client was seconds away from an anaphylactic shock.

Another client told the HCCC that he had to go to Sydney Hospital after his head filled with pimples that were filled with blood. I personally suffered painful and unsightly head and body rashes and scars that needed two courses of antibiotics.

Yet at all times, Mr Cohen and his pharmacist refused to take any responsibility, or even admit that their products had anything to do with any of the problems.

The ads never outline the myriad of potential problems, and even when the products are sold, the information sheets are withheld, in order to keep the clients in the dark.

THIS IS HOW THE COMPLAINTS RESOLUTION PANEL RESPONDED

Overall, the CRP found that IHRB’s ads were unlawful, misleading, and unverified. It slapped IHRB with Sanctions, and asked IHRB to publish retractions. You can read the CRP Sanctions by clicking here.

In the long determination, the Panel found IHRB to have breached 11 Codes and 1 Act. It’s justifications included these three paragraphs about IHRB’s suggestion that it can block the balding gene:

“The Panel was satisfied that words such as “do lasers, high frequency machines and massages block the balding gene (DHT)? No!” and “are lasers and high frequency machines medically approved as a DHT blocker?” were misleading because they were claims about the efficacy of those other treatments for which the advertiser provided no supporting evidence…

“The complainant alleged that the advertisements breached this section [4(2)(d)] of the Code because of references to “the balding gene”, “blocking the balding gene (DHT)”, and “blocking DHT”. The Panel noted that, to the extent that there could be a “balding gene”, it is clearly not DHT or dihydrotestosterone, since DHT is a hormone and not a gene.

The Panel was satisfied that in referring to “blocking the balding gene”, and equating the “balding gene” with DHT, the advertisement abused the trust and exploited the lack of knowledge of consumers. This aspect of the complaint was therefore justified…”

EXHIBIT 10: An IHRB brochure given to clients in the sales kit, telling clients that IHRB has the most effective treatment for block the balding gene ‘DHT’.

EXHIBIT 11: A brochure that not only mentions the DHT blocking herb, but also lists Finasteride, which is a Schedule 4 prescription-only medication which IHRB is not authorised (and was never authorised) to supply or sell or handle in any way, shape, or form. Yet Mr Cohen dictates the dosages via his pre-printed contract that lists out-of-this-world dosages that no doctor would ever prescribe.