Folks - just as an FYI.

The words "Transfer factor" and "thymic factor" used in these "testimonials" (really just ads for the various distributors) have no meaning in immunology unless coupled with a description of their purpose.  Otherwise, they are merely generic terms.  There are no biological agents referred to as "thymic factors".  In fact, chemicals that seem to facilitate transfer of chemicals from one cell to another or one tissue to another are usually called "Transfer Proteins".  They always have a defined name; such as Lipid Transfer Protein, or Cholesteryl ester transfer protein, or for example:

Phospholipid transfer protein.  From a pubmed article (typically peer-reviewed articles)

Phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) deficiency reduces brain vitamin E content and increases anxiety in mice.
"phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) is widely expressed in the brain where it appears to function as a transfer factor for alpha-tocopherol, the main isomer of vitamin E. PLTP deficiency results in significant depletion of brain alpha-tocopherol in both homozygous"  [...]

If these sellers can't tell you what a "transfer factor" is specifically; that is, a chemical name, then be skeptical.  Calling something a fancy name, doesn't make it science.  For all we know, based on the minimal information given in these "testimonials", transfer factor could be cow feces.  And worse still - what if these really are an amalgam of transfer factors? do you really want to take a chance on what Lipid Tranfer protein, or Cholesterol ester transfer protein in concentration might do to your body?

It's not just this either - if you are given a product that has a vague term like this, do your homework please. Don't assume because there's an MD attached that it is a real chemical consituent.  I think most of us here know this already but I have to say it as I feel it is my responsibility as a scientist to make this as clear as possible.

I am not disputing that these things might be helpful to some people.  I am merely pointing out that there is NO meaning at all in these phrases being used.  NO true immunologist would throw around such meaningless terms unless they were getting paid to do so.  And then one can question their ethics.  Many of them figure that the "medicine" being pedalled is basically harmless (I do believe they are required to know the actually chemical constituents of the supplement here in the US) and so getting a few bucks for saying "oh yes, this product could help." is ethical in their minds.  That it actually *does* help or has actually been studied by a party that is not getting monetary compensation and that those studies have been peer reviewed, is rarely of concern to these sorts of doctors.

Finally, I know from experience as I've stated before, that acquiring and purifying human transfer factors is a very expensive process.  The results of which are micro or even nanogram amounts that cost from hundreds to thousands of dollars and are usually used only in the research of other very specific conditions (such as the above protein used in the neurological study I cited).   to imagine that such factors could be properly harvested and purified then sold in bulk for 50 bucks or whatever is naive at best.  

Remember the old joke -

"What do you call the worst student in medical school?"

"Doctor."

One needn't be an intelligent or even a competent doctor, to give endorsements for these sorts of things

Opinions are not scientific evidence!

Always,
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