80 The Australian Women’s Weekly | MAY 2019
Cancer con
surgery or any other conventional
therapy. On the advice of a friend, he
began treating the cancer with black
salve, which he applied twice daily
and also ingested.
By June, when the tumour completely
covered Ian’s right eye socket, the
bridge of his nose and part of his
forehead, he began visiting a Brisbane
business called Dynamic Therapies,
run by George Zaphir. According
to an investigation by Queensland’s
Health Ombudsman, Zaphir told Ian
he could cure his cancer without
surgical intervention, and that the
tumour would “drop off”. Zaphir
told Ian to stay away from modern
medicine and follow his regimen.
He supported Ian’s decision to use
black salve and began administering
vitamin C injections.
Ian’s former partner, Lovina
Mitchell, told a tribunal hearing in
Queensland that Ian was under the
impression Zaphir was a fully
qualified and registered doctor. Even
though she and Ian had split, she had
moved back in with Ian to support
their son who was undergoing
chemotherapy treatment for his own
cancer at the time Ian was diagnosed.
Ian saw Zaphir every week at a
business called Crystal Connections,
where Zaphir leased a room, at a cost
of $175 per consultation. During this
time the cancer worsened and the
tumour continued to grow, but Lovina
said Ian was encouraged by the growth
of the cancer, believing it was being
“drawn out” by the black salve.
“He had said that the medical staff
had told him the black salve would
draw out the tumour and all the roots
of the tumour and one day the whole
thing would detach and just drop off,”
Lovina told the tribunal.
“[Ian] was completely convinced,
and often said to her how lucky he
was to have Mr Zaphir looking after
him,” the tribunal found.
Meanwhile, the tumour was
weeping blood and smelled rotten.
“Mr Zaphir had assured him the
tumour was coming out and was
going to drop off,” Lovina said.
She gave evidence that Ian would
frequently ask her if she could see it
aren’tstrongerpenaltiesforpeople
whopushunprovencures.“It’sjusta
slaponthewrist,”shesays.“Where’s
thedeterrent?Hecouldstillbetreating
peoplenowforallweknow.”
Infact,Zaphirwasrecentlyfined
$30,000afterit wasfoundhehad
continuedtoprovide“therapy”.
Debsaysthereneedtobeharsh
punishmentsthatsenda strong
messagetopredatorswhomarket
falsehopeanddangeroustreatments.
“You’vedestroyedmysister’slife.
You’vehurtsomuchofherfamily
andfriends,”shesays.“Whathedid
wasnothingshortofbrutalisingthat
woman’sbody.”AWWhappening.Shesaidhe
reallybelievedit wasgoing
tohappen.
InlateOctober2015,Ian
wenttoGoldCoastUniversity
Hospital,wheredoctorstold
himthetumourhadinvaded
hislymphnodesandskullandthat
hehadfourtoeightweekstolive.
Whenhediedin February,thetumour
coveredmorethanhalfhisface.
GeorgeZaphirwasbannedfrom
providinganyhealthservices,buthe
foughttheorderin a tribunalhearing.
Hetriedtodistancehimselffrom
blacksalve,butthetribunalfound
heendorsedIan’suseoftheproduct.
“MrZaphirledMrBoothtobelieve
if hefollowedhis‘protocols’his
cancercouldbecured,”thetribunal
found.Theorderbanninghimfrom
practisingwasupheld.It wasthesame
punishmentDennisJensenreceived.
DebDaviesis furiousthatthereActor Tony Barry (above, seated second from the
left) is a high-profile supporter and promoter of
black salve, who believes the government won’t
legalise the cream because it is in the pocket of
wealthy pharmaceutical companies. The actor was
diagnosed with melanoma 16 years ago and opted
for alternative therapies. He lost his leg after a
melanoma burst through the skin, but continues to
claim black salve “has never harmed anyone”.
He even attended court in support of Queensland
man, Bevan Potter, who was charged with
24 counts of importing the controversial treatment.
The court heard Potter profited to the tune
of $100,000 from the sale of black salve.
“Governments don’t like cheap, natural cancer
cures due to big pharma pressures,” Tony said in a
documentary endorsing black salve. Tony is not
alone in his belief that there is a conspiracy to
prevent people accessing black salve. In 2012, a
change.org petition to legalise the substance in
Australia attracted more than 17,000 supporters.
“Cancer is now a trillion dollar industry that allows
legalised experimentation on human beings,”
the petition said. Supporters argue that proper
regulation would eliminate the risk. Dr Andy
Croaker says there is too much that is unknown
about black salve for him to support its legalisation.NEWSPIX.“Mr Zaphir
had assured
him the
tumour was
... going to
drop off.”
SUPPORT FOR
BLACK SALVE