fluids taken, which is reviewed to make sure they are complying with every aspect of the program. Clear Body, Clear Mind contains a disclaimer which states that the program is not a medical treatment. A similar disclaimer appears in the Hubbard Communication Office Bulletins, noting that the treatment is not a medical process but a purely spiritual activity. Hubbard recommends that the participant should sign a waiver noting that the program is not medical treatment. Promotion The Purification Rundown is promoted as having physical and mental benefits such as lowering cholesterol, relieving pain, and improving memory. Scientology's promotional materials claim it can boost IQ by up to 15 points. Scientologists are strongly encouraged to take part in the program as a necessary step in their spiritual progress. Scientology promotes the Rundown to the public as a detoxification program, while it also works with non-religious Scientology-affiliated groups such as Narconon to offer this program as a treatment for addiction and high levels of stress. Conditions that are claimed by Scientologists to respond to the program include cancer, AIDS, heart problems, kidney failure, liver disease and obesity. In a January 1980 announcement, Hubbard told his followers that a nuclear war was an imminent threat and that the Rundown would enable them to deal with heavy fallout. He warned that those who completed the program would stand better chances of survival. In California, two organizations have been set up by Scientologists to try to give scientific legitimacy to the program. These were the Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education and the HealthMed Clinic. The Rundown, as delivered by HealthMed, is heavily promoted in the book Diet for a Poisoned Planet by journalist David Steinman, who denies any connection with the Church of Scientology. The book was the subject of a paper from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration which accused Steinman of distorting facts. C. Everett Koop, the former Surgeon General of the United States, also criticized the book, recommending that the public stay away from Hubbard's "detoxification" procedure. Reception Theoretical basis The theory behind the Purification Rundown is that toxins, drugs, and radioactive particles are stored in body fat, which are released through the exchange of fats (thus the oil consumption) and exercise, and then finally released via perspiration and other normal mechanisms such as body waste. Independent scientific evaluations report that the concentration of toxins or drugs in the sweat