Jasper Lawrence isn’t the typical salesman: He sells parasites for $2,999. People can purchase worms through his company, Autoimmune Therapies, where customers have the choice of swallowing “a dose of whipworm, or [applying] a Band-Aide of hookworms to penetrate the skin.”
Here’s how his wormy idea developed: Lawrence had been suffering from asthma and allergies, and after years of taking prednisone he decided to try hookworms instead. He got the idea from a documentary about a researcher who became infected with hookworm during a study of why people with the parasite never seemed to suffer from asthma and allergies. Lawrence subsequently traveled to Africa and walked around barefoot until his feet were infected. ABC reports:
Within a few months, Lawrence said his asthma and allergy symptoms dissipated. He stopped prednisone. He started to exercise without worrying about an attack and, as a result, he said he lost 40 pounds.
Seeing an untapped treatment, Lawrence decided to go into business selling parasitic worms to people hoping to temper autoimmune conditions such as asthma, allergies, Crohn’s disease, colitis and inflammatory bowel disease. He even has competition. At least one other online business offers patients worm therapy—all without monitoring by the Food and Drug Administration.
Perhaps the supply of clean food and water available in industrial countries has upset the balance that humans had established with parasites for millions of years. And now, without parasites around, scientists have suggested that our immune system can no longer fully develop, which might explain why we’ve become such an allergy-ridden nation.
Still, this doesn’t mean you should rush online to buy worms just yet. If you find yourself tempted to swallow a parasite, you should probably wait to see what the results of the FDA clinical trials of worm therapy are first.
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Image: flickr/ AJCI
July 22nd, 2009 at 8:00 pm
You should have captioned the photo “A face only a mother could love” but otherwise the article was very good.
July 22nd, 2009 at 8:50 pm
I look forward to seeing what Spielberg can do with this one.
July 22nd, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Oh, and it’s $2,900.00, not $2,999.00.
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:12 pm
[...] you’re going to LOVE this!!! Are Hookworms the Next Claritin? . . Jasper Lawrence isn
August 8th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
[...] has an interesting article entitled Are Hookworms the Next Claritin? Oh Lord, please say it isn’t [...]
October 8th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
why is this guy not considered a bioterrorist?
October 15th, 2009 at 10:41 am
“me” it must be nice to have a closed mind no thought or need to study, no desire to try to comprehend or awake to any new and interesting concepts. just go on following what the corporate entities tell you and blab on a label to attack and belittle anything your closed mind is threatened with.
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:00 am
[...] with asthma and multiple sclerosis. To back this claim up, I found two articles — one on the treatment of asthma and allergies with hookworm and another on the possible treatment for MS using hookworms — And if nothing else, you [...]
November 8th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
$2,900 for something that people pay money to get rid of after stepping in it?
I’m up for the treatment, but not until prices come down.
January 6th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
For $2,900 I would rather go to Africa or Vietnam to catch them…right?
January 8th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
I wouldn’t try to catch anything anywhere else! You don’t know WHAT you’ll catch. I’d rather pay for the product and know exactly what I’m getting. :p Seriously considering pursuing this
January 20th, 2010 at 11:39 am
To Jasper,
I take singulair, symbicort, flonase, a new antihistamine spray, sudafed, mucinex, benadryl, and use a BiPap machine to sleep, all on account of my nasal allergy symptoms. I now have trouble exercising but used to be a very athletic person playing amatateur tennis tournaments, surfing, recreational soccer, and semi-pro tournament softball. I would love to try the worm therapy but cannot afford the $2900. I don’t think my insurance would cover it. Why does it have to be so expensive? Do you think that the price may come down soon considering all the free advertising you received from NPR? anydaylater@hotmail.com