Homeopathic doctor trusted by Charles
KING Charles has long been an advocate of homeopathic medicine and believes there is great value in complementary therapies.
Such is his belief that he appointed Dr Michael Dixon, 71, a staunch supporter, to be the head of his royal medical household in 2022.
After his appointment became public, Buckingham Palace put out a statement saying: ‘Dr Dixon does not believe homeopathy can cure cancer.
‘His position is that complementary therapies can sit alongside conventional treatments, provided they are safe, appropriate and evidence based.’
Cancer Research UK states that some patients use complementary therapies to feel better, ease the side-effects of these treatments and improve quality of life.
Aromatherapy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage therapy, visualisation and yoga are among the most common examples.
The charity notes that ‘a good complementary therapist won’t claim that the therapy will cure your cancer’ and adds they should ‘always encourage you to discuss any therapies with your cancer doctor or GP’.
Many health professionals are supportive of people with cancer using complementary therapies. But some may be reluctant for their patients to use them.
This is usually because many therapies have not been tested in the same way as more conventional treatments. Dr Dixon has thrown his support behind offering treatments such as aromatherapy and reflexology on the NHS.
Alternative therapies are typically used instead of medical treatment but there is no scientific evidence they can cure cancer, and can cause harmful side-effects or interfere with other treatments.
Some examples of alternative therapies for cancer include ‘shark cartilage supplements’, laetrile (a plant substance) and Gerson therapy, which involves following an organic vegetarian diet and undergoing up to five coffee enemas a day.
King Charles previously voiced his support for Gerson therapy, which also involves drinking up to 13 glasses of fruit juice a day.
In 2004, he told the Royal College of Gynaecology that the therapy should be investigated for its ‘beneficial nature’ rather than being dismissed.
‘Acupuncture, herbal medicine and yoga’