Prince Charles’ Editorial1 is helpful in furthering our understanding of his advocacy, but more clarification is necessary if his wise words are not to result in the antipathy which greeted his speech to the BMA in 1982, and to which he makes reference.
He tells us ‘For many years I have advocated an integrated approach to medicine and health. By integrated medicine, I mean the kind of care that integrates the best of new technology and current knowledge with ancient wisdom. More specifically, perhaps, it is an approach to care of the patient which includes mind, body and spirit and which maximizes the potential of conventional, lifestyle and complementary approaches in the process of healing.’
The Prince should be invited to clarify to which ‘ancient wisdom’ he refers. That the sun goes round the earth? That illness is due to imbalance of four humours?
There is no question clinicians should be caring and demonstrate compassion. But that does not require progressive modern medicine to ‘integrate’ in any sense with alternative medical systems. ‘Complementary approaches’ such as homeopathy, Reiki and a variety of systems to activate ‘vital forces’ as spoken of by Prince Charles are not needed to complete conventional treatments. They are alternatives to evidence-based modern medicine. The best of ancient wisdom is already incorporated into ‘medicine’. To integrate medicine with systems for which there is no plausible evidence-base would do a disservice to patients – and to tax-payers expected to foot the bill.
No doubt patients feel better after a constructive therapeutic encounter with an empathic practitioner.
As Lord Darzi has emphasized in his commentary on evidence-based medicine evidence of effectiveness of all medical practice is expected to be robust, and withstand critical scrutiny.2 That is the way forward for medicine.
Competing interests
None declared
References
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