Surgeons warn about alternative therapists

The case of a women who required extensive surgery for cancer after allegedly being assured by an alternative medical practitioner for 16 months that an infected cyst on her scalp was benign has alarmed surgeons.

The 65-year-old woman sought advice from an alternative medicine practitioner regarding a 3cm ulcerated lesion on her scalp. It was diagnosed as a benign "infected sebaceous cyst". She was told to apply herbal poultice and change the dressing daily.

When the lesion grew to 8cm after six months of treatment, the practitioner allegedly dismissed the concerns of the woman's family, reiterated it was benign and advised against conventional medical advice, according to a report published today in the New Zealand Medical Journal.

After 16 months, the lesion had grown to 20cm, the woman was in severe pain and housebound. Still the practitioner allegedly dismissed the family's concerns.

In desperation they showed a photograph of the lesion to the family doctor, who immediately referred the woman to hospital. She underwent radical surgery on a tumour and later radiotherapy. Eight months later, the woman's quality of life was greatly improved.

In the report, four Wellington surgeons said the case highlighted the risks of alternative therapy in place of proven medical treatment.

The surgeons said the case emphasised the limitations of current regulations of complementary and alternative medicine in New Zealand.

Mainstream health practitioners were subject to that act and regulated by the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act, which provides mechanisms to ensure that health practitioners are competent.

The surgeons said self-regulation of alternative practitioners was inadequate.

The New Zealand Charter of Health Practitioners' chief executive Patrick Fahy said it was obvious that in this case the practitioner had been a "maverick", and probably did not not belong to any association or body which would have held them accountable.

"This person was obviously practicing outside their own competency. Practitioners have a code of practice and a responsibility to provide a duty of care. That did not happen here."

Mr Fahy said doctors thought the natural health field was full of "quacks" and this "isolated" incident helped them push that agenda.