Anthony J. Sattilaro (1931–1989) was an American physician and vegetarianism activist best known for promoting macrobiotics as a cancer cure, although in some interviews he asserted that there was no definitive evidence to support thisand that he used macrobiotics as a last resort after Western medicine had failed. His views were criticized by medical experts as quackery.
Biography
Sattilaro was the chief executive officer of Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia. He was diagnosed at the age 49 with prostate cancer with multiple bone metastases.Kushi, Lawrence H; Cunningham, Joan E; Hebert, James R; Lerman, Robert H; Bandera, Elisa V; Teas, Jane. (2001). The Macrobiotic Diet in Cancer. The Journal of Nutrition 131 (11): 3056S–3064S. In his book Recalled from Life (1982), he described how macrobiotics had cured his prostate cancer.Barrett, Stephen. (2000). "Miraculous Recoveries". Quackwatch. Retrieved November 22, 2018. He stated that a follow-up examination revealed complete resolution of metastatic bone lesions. Sattilaro went on publicity tours and he appeared in magazines and talk shows. In Living Well Naturally (1984), he made the claim that a macrobiotic diet had put his prostate cancer into permanent remission.Butler, Kurt. (1992). A Consumer's Guide to "Alternative Medicine": A Close Look at Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Faith-healing, and Other Unconventional Treatments. Prometheus Books. p. 23.
In 1989, he died from prostate cancer that his books claimed he had been cured of.Raso, Jack. (1993). Mystical Diets: Paranormal, Spiritual, and Occult Nutrition Practices. Prometheus Books. p. 24. Butler, Kurt. (1999). Lying for Fun and Profit: The Truth about the Media: Exposes the Corrupt Symbiosis Between Media Giants and the Health Fraud Industries. Health Wise Productions. p. 81. According to William T. Jarvis "he eventually died of his disease, but this fact was not mentioned in the macrobiotic press."Jarvis, William T. (1997). "How Quackery Harms Cancer Patients". Quackwatch. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
Publications Recalled by Life (Houghton Mifflin, 1982, 1989) Living Well Naturally (Houghton Mifflin, 1984, 1985)
See also Hugh Faulkner (doctor) List of unproven and disproven cancer treatments
References