Tablelands woman Deidre Karen Brophy who invented and sold ‘cancer treatment’ online dealt with by court

A Jaggan woman who invented and sold capsules which she claimed could cure cancer has been dealt with by the Cairns Magistrates Court.

A JAGGAN woman who invented and sold capsules which she claimed could cure cancer has been dealt with by the Cairns Magistrates Court for three counts of contravening an interim prohibition order by Queensland’s Health Ombudsman.

Deidre Karen Brophy, 66, was originally intending to plead not guilty to five counts of contravening a prohibition order and represent herself at a two-day hearing in Cairns on Wednesday and Thursday.

But after hours of negotiations ahead of the start of the hearing, Brophy pleaded guilty to three charges in exchange for the dropping of two others.

Health Ombudsman prosecutor Rachelle Logan told the court Brophy had been issued with a Health Ombudsman prohibition order on July 15, 2016, which prevented her from providing any health service in a clinical or non-clinical capacity, and which explicitly prevented her from providing thermal imaging services or selling black salve.

Ms Logan told the court Ms Brophy operated an online shop through the website Total Health Thermal Imaging between August 2020 and June 2021 which displayed 213 products advertised for health and wellness purposes, including Covid-19 assistance kits and “Cankill”, a product which Brophy claimed in an interview with investigators could cure cancer and improve immune and digestive symptoms.

The company behind the website was founded in 2000 and Brophy was a co-director and secretary until July 2016, Ms Logan told the court, at which time control of the company was handed to her husband.

“Mr Brophy passed away on May 31, 2020 … and he was still listed as director of the company in 2021, however Ms Brophy controlled the website and therefore provided the health service,” Ms Logan said.

Ms Logan said Brophy was the only person with a shareholder interest in the company upon Mr Brophy’s death, email addresses linked to the website were hers, as was the PayPal account, and Brophy was the sole signatory card holder on the bank account linked to that PayPal account.

The other two charges related to one instance of a Therapeutic Goods Administration investigator ordering and receiving a package of “Cankill” from Brophy’s website and another occasion in June 2021 where Brophy provided massages to two travellers – something which was also not permitted under the prohibition order.

An example of black salve, an alternative topical therapy used to treat skin cancer.

Ms Logan submitted a fine in the range of $7-10,000 was in range.

Making submissions to the court, Brophy went on a lengthy, rambling monologue claiming she was constantly being attacked by the Office of the Health Ombudsman, that investigators had “planted viruses into computers” and were attempting to steal a book she had been writing since 2013.

She also described to the court the traumatic passing of her husband and her dire financial straits.

Brophy told the court she ran a roadhouse at Mount Surprise and that she did not draw a wage from the business.

“I’m at my wits end as to where I go from here, money-wise, health-wise, how long can I keep doing this?” she said.

Magistrate Bevan Hughes, considering Brophy’s age, negligible income, stage of life, and taking judicial notice of her difficulty making ends meet, and the impact of the proceedings which had reduced her ability to grieve the loss of her husband, fined her $5000.

The fine was referred to SPER and a conviction was recorded.

Mr Hughes said he did not consider it just and reasonable to order her to pay the $5130.25 in costs sought by the Health Ombudsman.

Originally published as Tablelands woman Deidre Karen Brophy who invented and sold ‘cancer treatment’ online dealt with by court