On February 7, 2010, Narconon Gulf Coast published a Press Release painting a glowing picture of their 75% success rate. The success rate on their web page states 90%. I question whether either one of these percentage rates is true or can be verified; especially through any independent analyst.

The Narconon success rate has been a controversial issue for many years and is once again in recent news media reports and publications, questioning the credibility of these outlandish claims. There is simply no independent, verifiable information to be found that can establishe these high success rates of the patients who complete the Narconon rehab program.

On May 2, 2002, Brad Melnychuk made some interesting statements to the 37th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION, Special Committee on Non-Medical Use of Drugs, concerning the success rate of Narconon. Brad Melnychuk states as follows:

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Mr. Brad Melnychuk: The point being missed is that there are programs that do work--Narconon, for example. You may think I'm here just to promote my program. It happens to be a program I'm very familiar with, one that does in fact get results, so of course I will talk about it. I'm talking about it because of the results. For example, Narconon gets a 65% success rate of abstinence even at its worst. In fact, the average is 75%. The more experienced, larger, and well-staffed organizations get 90%. Now, when we're talking results, we are talking about being drug-free for life...tracking people for two years after they've completed the program.

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Mr. Brad Melnychuk: Yes, I can answer that. What accounts for the high success rate? You could say what's original about it is simply that an in-depth study was done by L. Ron Hubbard on the mind and on life. He is a founder of a religious organization. However, he also is a brilliant mind on the subject of addiction treatment.
In one 2009 meeting with Brad Melnychuk at Narconon Trois-Rivieres, in Quebec, Canada we discussed the success rate at Narconon and Brad agreed the rate was below 70% and he was concerned about the misleading advertising and promotions being presented to the public in brochures and web sites.

I was employed at Narconon Trois-Rivieres as the Graduate Officer and a Registrar at the same time and performed both duties every day. When I examined the data from the year 1998 to 2009 and especially the years from 2007 to 2009, the success rate fell below 46%. These calculations were from their own computer print outs and other computer program examinations. This low success rate was calculated from program graduates only. When taking into account the patients who did not complete their program and the staff members who were ex-patients and had relapsed, the success rate fell below 20%.

In statements from a August 21, 2005 Press Release, the National Coalition of Human Rights Activists request the United States' various Federal healthcare oversight departments and State boards of health to investigate NarConon for alleged dangerous and worthless health care practices.

"The United States government has a duty to the citizens to protect them from dangerous or fraudulent health care scams, " said NCHRA President David Rice. "If the apparent facts about NarConon are true, then the US government is grossly failing to meet that duty."

"I have personally asked NarConon to provide evidence for their claims that their 'detox' treatment is both safe and effective; in every instance they have answered with deafening silence." said Mr. Rice. "All the evidence I have so far been able to accumulate shows NarConon's treatment is both dangerous and worthless. I would very much like to see evidence otherwise, but NarConon refuses to provide this evidence to me even when I told them I would pay $100 for that evidence."

James J. Kenney, Ph.D., RD, of the National Council Against Health Fraud who said of the NarConon program "Health professionals who subject troubled people (many with psychiatric illnesses and / or severe emotional problems) to this unproven detoxification program are at best unethical and at worst guilty of health fraud."

There is clear evidence that the success rate which Narconon uses to lure unsuspecting and vulnerable patients into their program, is misrepresented and far from the real truth. Governments and health authorities are investigating these false claims and Narconon will be held accountable.

If you are seeking help for your addiction to drugs or alcohol or seeking help for a loved one, do your research first. Google: Narconon Exposed. Talk to your own personal physician and be open and honest. Inform him that part of the Narconon Program is entering a Sauna at high temperatures for 5 hours every day for weeks on end, taking doses of Niacin as high as 2, 600mg to 5, 000mg in one single dose.

Narconon is a Scientology organization and has control over all the affairs of every Narconon and Narconon International. It is a convicted criminal organization that has established policies written by L. Ron Hubbard, that it is ok to lie if it furthers the interests of their group.

Public beware of any web site that promotes an unrealistic success rate that seems too good to be true. It isn’t.

by: David Edgar Love