UCC professor says some alternative therapists are 'exploiting the vulnerable'
PEOPLE SHOULD be wary of complementary and alternative therapists who make extraordinary claims of curing serious illnesses, the professor of general practice at University College Cork has warned.
Prof Colin Bradley said that some of those who "went under the banner" of complementary and alternative medicine were exploiting the vulnerable. He pointed to the example of Dr Paschal Carmody, who earlier this month was returned for trial on charges of receiving a total of €36,436 through falsely pretending to three cancer patients that they would be cured by photodynamic therapy at his Killaloe clinic between January and September 2002.
"I would sound a warning against anybody who makes extraordinary claims and offers significant recovery and cure for serious, life threatening illnesses like cancer at great expense and no real benefit to the patient. This is often dressed up in a lot of jargon with no medical basis that is not necessarily understood by the people it is being offered to," he said.
Prof Carmody said there was a danger of such practitioners "slipping under the radar" because of the lack of regulation of the whole complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) area in Ireland.
Speaking on the topic "Complementary and Alternative Medicine - Holistic Healing or Noxious Nonsense?" at the Faculty of Science public lecture series at UCC, Prof Bradley pointed out that there was evidence of small benefits from the use complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of some conditions.
For example, he said there was some evidence that acupuncture was effective in treating some pain conditions, while reflexology can reduce anxiety.
Prof Bradley highlighted the difference between complementary and alternative medicine - complementary medicine was used along with conventional medicine while alternative medicine was used instead of it.
"The danger of alternative medicine is that people may eschew conventional medicine which poses dangers. To use complementary medicine alongside conventional seems reasonably safe. There is evidence, though, that some herbal remedies may cause problems in terms of interacting with conventional medicines."
He said that many complementary therapies showed some efficacy in trials, while some showed none whatsoever. A few years ago, there was a flurry of excitement when a systematic review of homeopathy suggested benefits but when it was reviewed again, it was found to be no better than a placebo.
While there is no evidence that aromatherapy shows any greater benefit than the placebo effect, Prof Bradley pointed out that it was a pleasant treatment and not too expensive.
"The medical profession have been fairly disparaging of complementary and alternative medicine but I don't think this can be sustained. As these therapies are subjected to more rigorous trials, some will come out as as good as what we already have. Not all conventional medicine works, either; we have to look at it in that context," he remarked.
The UCC Faculty of Science lecture series, organised by Prof William Reville, continues weekly until March 26th. Admission is free.
