FIVE doctors claiming to 'cure' cancer through homeopathic means have been struck off in the last year by the Barcelona Medical College (COMB).
Head of the Council for Catalunya Colleges of Medicine (CCMC) Jaume Padrós, says one doctor has lost their licence to practise and another five are under investigation for having reportedly treated cancer patients with purely 'natural' or 'alternative' methods at the expense of traditional, tried-and-tested therapy.
Padrós referred to these cases at a conference covering oncology treatment and palliative care, including a discussion on therapies with no scientific evidence of their effectiveness, and those classed as 'pseudoscience'.
He stressed that the idea of 'natural' therapies may cause patients to turn away from treatments that could increase their life expectancy and quality of life and even cure their condition.
Also, homeopathic remedies are 'not harmless', Padrós argues, because their active ingredients can create toxins in vital organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys.
The CCMC and COMB warn that the incidence of patients opting purely for non-medical treatment, such as music therapy, acupuncture and homeopathy has increased in the last few years, largely due to their presence on the internet – especially social media – just at a time when life expectancy and full recovery rates in cancer patients is at its highest ever.
They have also seen a rise in the movement of anti-traditional medicine advocates, such as those who claim mainstream treatment is only given to patients because health authorities 'are in collusion with drug companies' and insist it is 100% profit-driven.
“We cannot tolerate imposed ideologies and incompetence being allowed to deprive patients from receiving the best therapies for their conditions,” Padrós insisted.
Referring to the medics being investigated or already struck off, Padrós says they are 'exceptional cases', but 'very serious ones'.
They include a doctor banned from practising for a year and a half for treating a young patient for cancer by spraying him with 'water of light' instead of with proper medication.
Not receiving the correct treatment meant the patient's cancer worsened and he died.
It turned out the young man's cancer was already terminal, but traditional medicine may have eased his symptoms and made his last weeks or months more comfortable – as well as including the correct non-drug treament such as counselling and occupational therapy which would have helped him from an emotional, practical and even financial perspective, Padrós explains.
The doctors under fire are in the private sector and do not work for the public health service, he adds.
“Alternative therapy is not compatible with practising medicine,” stipulates Padrós.
“When doctors apply alternative therapy, it is only ever as a complementary method and never instead of traditional treatment.”
He recognises that some alternative remedies can be helpful to patients, assisting in easing pain and other symptoms, but only ever as an 'added extra'.
“For the faithful, praying is great therapy for them, but no doctor would or should prescribe prayer instead of medication or other correct courses of treatment,” Padrós concludes.
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