Myers' cocktail

{{short description|Questionable IV vitamin alternative therapy}}

{{More medical citations needed|date=January 2020}}Myers' cocktail is an intravenous (IV) vitamin therapy. It lacks much scientific evidence to support its use as a medical treatment.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/25/style/iv-drips-touted-as-hangover-relief.html|title=IV Drips Touted as Hangover Relief|last=Ellin|first=Abby|date=2014-12-24|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-14|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} The term, Myers' cocktail, is included in Quackwatch's index of questionable treatments.{{cite web | url = http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/treatmentindex.html | title = Index of Questionable Treatments | accessdate = 2013-01-24 | last = Barrett | first = S | authorlink = Stephen Barrett | work = Quackwatch | date = 2011-03-24 }}

The name is attributed to Baltimore physician John A. Myers. Prior to his death in 1984, Myers allegedly had administered vitamin infusions to patients.{{Cite web|url=https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/a-closer-look-at-vitamin-injections/|title=A closer look at vitamin injections|website=sciencebasedmedicine.org|date=24 May 2013|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-14}} Despite claims to the contrary, the original formula is unknown; the current "Myers' cocktail" recipe was published by a physician, Alan Gaby, who took on many of Myers' patients after he died.{{Cite web|url=https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/a-closer-look-at-vitamin-injections/|title=A closer look at vitamin injections|website=sciencebasedmedicine.org|date=24 May 2013|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-14}}

Naturopaths and other practitioners of pseudoscientific medicine in the United States and Canada often administer the IV drip in clinics and health spas.{{cite web |last1=Gorski |first1=David |title=The FTC cracks down on iV Bars for false advertising claims about its "intravenous micronutrient therapy"|url=https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-ftc-cracks-down-on-the-company-selling-iv-bars-for-false-advertising-claims/ |website=Science-based Medicine |access-date=20 May 2022 |date=24 September 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/run-down-execs-and-celebs-embrace-the-vitamin-drip/article596997/|title=Run-down execs and celebs embrace the vitamin drip|last1=Verner|first1=Amy|date=12 July 2010|work=Globe and Mail|accessdate=10 July 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/health/0801-na-vitamin-drip|title=Hooking up to an IV drip is the latest health fad, but critics say there is little proof it works|last1=Kirkey|first1=Sharon|date=21 July 2015|work=National Post|accessdate=10 July 2016}}

In 2018, the US Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against a peddler of Myers' cocktails and other IV treatments for making false health claims.{{cite news |title=FTC Brings First-ever Action Targeting "iV Cocktail" Therapy Marketer |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2018/09/ftc-brings-first-ever-action-targeting-iv-cocktail-therapy-marketer |access-date=20 May 2022 |work=Federal Trade Commission |date=20 September 2018 |language=en}}