Prince branded a snake oil salesman by scientist

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Prince branded a 'snake oil salesman' by scientist

Edzard Ernst, who was Britain's first professor of complementary medicine, said

the prince's support for homeopathy and other alternative medicines earns him

the title.

Britain's leading alternative medicine researcher has reignited a public row

with Clarence House by branding the Prince of Wales a " snake oil salesman " .

Professor Edzard Ernst criticised the heir to the throne for lending his support

to homeopathic remedies and for promoting the Duchy Herbals detox tincture.

In a briefing with reporters at the Science Media Centre in London, Ernst warned

that " snake oil salesmen are ubiquitous and dangerous " , and named the prince as

" one of the most outspoken proponents of homeopathy " .

He later told the Guardian: " There are no official criteria for a snake oil

salesman, but if they existed, I think would fulfil them. "

Ernst, who was Britain's first professor of complementary medicine, agreed

recently to retire early from Exeter University, where he presided for 18 years

over a unit that subjects alternative medicines to thorough scientific scrutiny.

Many of Ernst's studies have been damning for complementary medicines, with some

proving no more effective than sugar pills. Other treatments, such as

chiropractic spine manipulation, were potentially dangerous, he has said.

In a briefing that coincided with his stepping down, Ernst blamed earlier

confrontations with Clarence House for the threatened closure of his department

and his early exit as head of the unit.

The most serious clash came in 2005 when Ernst attacked a report commissioned by

the prince into the economics of complementary medicine. Ernst was due to help

prepare the report, but asked for his name to be removed after questioning its

validity.

The report, led by Smallwood, a former economics adviser to Barclays

Bank, claimed the UK could save billions by offering spinal manipulation such as

chiropractic in place of mainstream treatments, and make further savings by

prescribing homeopathy instead of standard drugs. Ernst described the report as

" outrageous and deeply flawed " days before it was published.

The comments prompted a complaint from Sir Peat, chairman of the

Prince's now defunct Foundation for Integrated Health, to the vice-chancellor of

Exeter University. The university responded with a 13-month investigation, which

cleared Ernst of any wrongdoing, though he was later told that his unit would

close in 2010.

While Ernst will still take early retirement, the department will remain open

under plans drawn up by Professor Steve Thornton, who took over as Dean at

Exeter in May. The university plans to advertise for a replacement for Ernst

next week.

" The whole thing would backfire in my view tremendously if we found a promoter

of alternative medicine and not a good scientist, " Ernst said, adding: " It

looked as though I had to go and that was the price for the unit to continue. "

Clarence House said it would not respond to Ernst's latest comments, and added

that the prince was unaware of Sir 's complaint in 2005.

A spokeswoman for Waitrose, which has exclusive rights to sell the Prince's

Duchy products, said only that the Duchy Herbals range " complies to all the

regulatory standards " .

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jul/25/prince-charles-snake-oil-salesman