Prince Charles, Another big talking point that came about following the publication of the Black Spider memos was Prince Charles’ passion for alternative medicine. The Prince of Wales complained about a European Union law that limited the use of herbal medicines throughout the UK in a letter to Tony Blair, urging the then-prime minister to do something about it. It wasn’t the first time that Charles’ views on medical care made headlines, as he began speaking out in support of Gerson Therapy, a radical alternative for cancer patients, in 2004: instead of chemotherapy, patients would rely on fruit juice, coffee enemas, and vitamin injections.
“I know of one patient who turned to Gerson Therapy having been told she was suffering from terminal cancer and would not survive another course of chemotherapy,” Prince Charles claimed at a packed healthcare conference (via The Guardian). “Happily, seven years later, she is alive and well. So it is vital that, rather than dismissing such experiences, we should further investigate the beneficial nature of these treatments.”
The prince isn’t alone in his support of Gerson Therapy, but he’s certainly in the minority. According to the American Cancer Society’s website, this seemingly natural technique can actually be very harmful: “Coffee enemas have been associated with serious infections, dehydration, constipation, colitis […] and even death.” Despite heavy criticism, Charles’ belief in alternative treatments remains as strong as ever — he was named patron of The Faculty of Homeopathy in 2019.
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