On Tuesday October 1, the London Times ran an article about a supposed ‘Call to
Ban’ relating to the journal What Doctors Don’t Tell You (WDDTY) over ‘health scares’. (‘Call to
ban journal over health scares,’ p 22).

The article alleged that a group of ‘experts’, including ‘scientists, doctors and patients’ were ‘condemning’ shops for carrying the magazine which they claimed was ‘dangerous.’ The article also said that WDDTY claimed that vitamin C ‘cures’ HIV, that homeopathy could treat cancer, that cervical cancer vaccines had killed ‘hundreds’ of girls and that in the (October 2013) issue immunization of MMR was not a good idea.  Five Live followed up with a television debate about the magazine, and another on-line publication published ‘warnings’ that claims in WDDTY advice could even ‘prove fatal’.  Apparently not one of the newspapers, radio shows or television  stations once bothered to contact WDDTY magazine, not even to solicit a comment.  In fact, from the content quoted, it appears that not one journalist or broadcaster read anything that WDDTY had written! When WDDTY contacted one editor, he said he’d just reported what the Times had reported.

I have subscribed to WDDTY in the past and have found it an informative magazine with good research.  I have not found that they have made claims of cures but they have offered informative on Natural Healthcare and orthodox medicine which is evidence based.  This helps their readers learn more about a subject and open their minds to enhance their knowledge on their health and appropriate measures towards wellbeing.

My approach to healthcare is that everyone should find the form of healthcare that suits them best.  That may be “drug based” or not.  Everyone should be allowed to make their own choice – information should be available to them which is informative, objective and with sound reasoning not based on what pharmaceuticals or journalists want us to read. What is important is that the public should be able to make decisions about their own health –  deciding what is right individually and feeling confident in the outcome.

Whilst some find this hard to believe Naturopathic Healthcare and Drug Based Medicine can work well together as a team – we are NOT in competition with each other but may have different approaches to obtaining and maintaining wellbeing! For the twitter followers who have been hounding me  please note my qualifications include a science based degree  together with a list of CAM qualifications. I m a member of a professional body whose code of ethics I adhere to and  and maintain my annual CPD’s.   I am always upgrading my qualification and work alongside GP’s and orthodox medicine practitioners regularly.  I am not “against pharmaceutical or orthodox medicine” but believe that maintaining good health and restoring equilibrium using natural medicine/remedies plays a role in society. What I strongly believe is that informative objective opinions with valid reasoning is vital together with maintaining free choice.

As for WDDTY –   Can I suggest you read the article in The Times dated 1st October  and also watch this video on you tube and come to your own conclusions.  Here’s the link  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfVT5_5s9no

If you feel inclined you can buy a copy of What Doctors Don’t Tell You. It’s available in Tesco,
Sainsbury’s, WH Smiths, and over 8000 independent retail outlets for the moment. You can also
subscribe to it through www.wddtysubscribe.com