HOUSTON – A state appeals court has upheld a lower court's ruling to permanently bar a man from selling so-called miracle drugs.
On Sept. 27, the 14th Court of Appeals upheld the 157th District Court Harris County's ruling that prohibits Hawkins from selling MMS, or Miracle Mineral Solution. The trial court granted the state's motion for summary judgment and "permanently enjoined (Shane) Hawkins and those in active concert or participation with him, and their successors and assigns, from promoting, marketing, selling or offering for sale MMS, sodium chlorite or chlorite dioxide...," the ruling states.
Hawkins had been selling Miracle Mineral Solution under the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing touting it as a "health sacrament," the ruling states. According to the ruling, "Hawkins explains on his website that the church teaches only the taking of its health sacraments, which he touts as a cure for 95 percent of human diseases and conditions, including addiction, cancer, HIV, heart disease, autism and ebola."
However, the ruling states there is no medical research support these claims. Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration believes the product to be dangerous to the public and "poses significant health risks to humans when taken at the doses recommended on the product's label," the ruling states.
Hawkins had argued that the trial court had no jurisdictional, legal, factual, and procedural arguments against him. However, the Appeals Court disagreed, upholding the lower court's ruling.
According to the ruling, Hawkins argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction because, "he is a bishop of Genesis II Church, and that both he and the church are sovereign" and that there was "no evidence of damages in excess of $500." The appellate court called these arguments "frivolous."
According to the ruling, Hawkins has sold the product under the names Miracle Mineral Solution, Miracle Mineral Supplement or Master Mineral Solution. It is described as a "sodium chlorite product that when used as directed produces chlorine dioxide, a chemical used in disinfectants and as an industrial bleaching agent," the ruling states.
In 2010, the Harris County Attorney’s Office called MMS dangerous, citing an FDA warning that ingesting high dosages of the bleach can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and severe dehydration. Saying, “Consumers who have MMS should stop using it immediately and throw it away," according to an article in the Houston Press.