Maureen Kennedy Salaman (April 4, 1936 – August 17, 2006) was an American author, proponent of

alternative medicine Alternative medicine is any practice that aims to achieve the healing effects of medicine despite lacking biological plausibility, testability, repeatability, or evidence from clinical trials. Complementary medicine (CM), complementary and alt ...

, and candidate of the American Independent Party for Vice President of the United States in the 1984 election.

Biography

Salaman was born in 1936 in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census the population was 196,543, up from ...

. Her father, Ted Kennedy, served in the United States Navy and was killed in World War II when Maureen was a child. The family then relocated to San Mateo County, California. Salaman claimed to be a nutritionist with a Master of Science degree from Donsbach University, an unaccredited entity, and was prominently involved in

. She was elected president of the

National Health Federation The National Health Federation (NHF) is a lobbying group which promotes natural medicine. The NHF is based in California and describes its mission as protecting individuals' rights to use dietary supplements and alternative therapies without gov ...

, an alternative medicine lobbying group, in 1982. She held that position, with two interruptions, until her death. Critics noted that she had been "very active in promoting questionable cancer remedies". Psychiatrist Stephen Barrett of Quackwatch wrote that her books "contain hundreds of unsubstantiated suggestions for using foods, dietary supplements, and herbs for a wide range of diseases and conditions." Salaman was nominated on the right-wing American Independent Party's ticket in 1984 along with Bob Richards, a former Olympic pole vaulter. They received 66,324 votes (0.07%).

Personal life

Salaman married Gerard Morton in 1957, and that marriage produced two children, Sean and Colleen. The couple divorced, and after several years she married Frank Salaman. In 1976, Frank Salaman was charged with conspiracy to smuggle laetrile into the United States. He was found guilty by a jury in 1977, fined $10,000, and placed on probation for three years.Maureen Salaman was an outspoken advocate of laetrile usage as a cancer preventive and treatment. In 1999, she married a third time, to Ross Burdette Gordon. Salaman died at her home in

Atherton, California Atherton () is an List of municipalities in California, incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, San Mateo County, California, United States. Its population was 7,188 as of 2020. Atherton is known for its wealth; in 1990 and 2019, Athe ...

in 2006 from pancreatic cancer.

Selected publications

*''Nutrition: The Cancer Answer'' (1984) *''The Diet Bible: The Bible for Dieters'' (1994) *''Nutrition: The Cancer Answer II'' (1995) *''How to Renew You: The Complete Primer on Age Reversal'' (2003)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Salaman, Maureen Kennedy 1936 births 2006 deaths 20th-century far-right politicians in the United States Alternative cancer treatment advocates Alternative medicine activists 1984 United States vice-presidential candidates People from Glendale, California People from Atherton, California Pseudoscientific diet advocates 20th-century American women writers Populist Party (United States, 1984) politicians Christian fundamentalists Female candidates for Vice President of the United States Women in California politics Activists from California 21st-century American women Writers from California