Alternative medicine professor clamed Prince Charles is a “snake-oil salesman” and resigned.
Prince Charles has been described as a “snake-oil salesman” for his support of alternative medicine. The accuser is ex-Professor Edzard Ernst, who was the UK”s first ever and only professor of complementary medicine at Exeter University (Source: Reuters, Mon Jul 25, 2011).Prof Ernst recently stepped down from his role at Exeter University, also said that Charles”s support of the “integrated medicine” was “… a big smokescreen to smuggle unproven or disproven treatment into the NHS (National Health Service)”.
Ernst said his early retirement from the position was the price to pay to keep the unit open. However, during his tenure, he was a controversial figure who rarely had a good word to say about alternative medicine. His motto was “I have not come to praise alternative medicine; I`ve come to bury it”.
Prof Ernst almost lost his job after private secretary of Prince Charles, Sir Michael Peat, complained that he had committed a serious breach of confidence in July 2005. Than a draft report on improvements within the NHS has been discussed. The report, prepared by economist Christopher Smallwood and commissioned by Prince Charles”s Foundation for Integrated Health, suggested that the service could save itself up to £3.5bn if a few alternative therapies will be introduces. Although professor Ernzt had signed a confidentiality agreement in order to review the draft, he discussed it with journalists: “It is based on such poor science, it is hair-raising. The Prince also seems to have overstepped his constitutional role…”
