Meddling' Prince nearly cost health don his job
'Meddling' Prince
nearly cost health don (Ernst) his job
http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,2031896,00.html
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2031291,00.html
I can't get this story up on
either link, so it must have been censored. Luckily I was sent whole
article below. Shows how Ernst is protected. Also in his article
below Peter Fisher refers to the fact that the Smallwood report was leaked
by Ernst.
Quote: "It is ironic
that the editor of The Lancet, Dr Richard Horton, wrote to The
Times accusing Prof. Ernst of having ‘broken every code of scientific
behaviour’ for leaking the draft report of the Smallwood Enquiry (and
incidentally describing complementary medicine as ‘a largely pernicious
influence… preying on the fears and uncertainties of the sick’), while simultaneously
doing the same to the WHO report in his own journal!" http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1375230
Complementary medicines expert
(Ernst) was accused of breaching confidentiality
Jo Revill, health editor Sunday March 11, 2007
The Observer
A leading scientist has revealed how he nearly lost his job after Prince
Charles's most senior aide made an official complaint about him. Professor
Edzard Ernst was accused of breach of confidence after criticising a report
commissioned by the Prince.
The revelation will reignite the controversy over whether Prince Charles is
interfering in government policy. A Channel 4 Dispatches programme will
tomorrow examine a range of areas where he is said to have 'meddled' in
affairs of state.
Clarence House has issued a 17-page denial of the claims made in the programme,
which says that Charles uses his influence both publicly and privately across a
range of issues, such as organic farming, planning and medicine.
The Ernst controversy began in July 2005 when, as professor of complementary
medicine at Exeter University, he was asked to look at a draft report written
by economist Christopher Smallwood, who was investigating whether
alternative remedies such as acupuncture were cost-effective and should be
funded more widely on the NHS.
Ernst signed a confidentiality agreement for an interview he gave to the report
team, but became worried by the report itself. A draft he saw claimed that the
NHS could save between £500m and £3.5bn if there was a switch to
alternative therapies. He was then called by a newspaper, which had a copy of
the draft, and described the initial findings as 'outrageous and deeply
flawed'. He added: 'It is based on such poor science, it's just hair-raising.
The Prince ... also seems to have overstepped his
constitutional role.'
Shortly afterwards, the vice-chancellor of Exeter, Professor Steve Smith,
received a letter from Sir Michael Peat, Prince Charles's private secretary,
alleging that Ernst had committed a serious breach of confidentiality. The
action led to him facing a year of disciplinary hearings and investigations,
which could have resulted in his dismissal. Last December he was cleared of
wrongdoing.
The letter is dated 22 September, 2005, and is written on headed notepaper from
Clarence House and signed by Sir Michael Peat, who states that he is writing
'both as the Prince of Wales's Principal Private Secretary and as
acting chairman of His Royal Highness's Foundation for Integrated Health'.
He writes: 'There has been a breach of confidence by Professor Edzard Ernst in
respect of a draft report on the efficacy of certain complementary therapies
sent to him by Mr Christopher Smallwood. The report was
commissioned by the Prince of Wales.' Peat commented in a written statement to
The Observer: 'This letter was not prompted by His Royal Highness and he
was not even aware that it had been written. The letter was sent at the express
request of the trustees for the Foundation for Integrated Health, and it was
made clear in the letter that I was writing as the foundation's chairman as
well as the Prince's Principal Private Secretary.
A spokesman for Exeter said: 'The Channel 4 programme will also highlight the
fact that there have been several meetings between the Prince, his staff and
members of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
(MHRA), which regulates medicines and also looks at treatments such as
homeopathy and herbal remedies.'
More: Clarence House rebuttal of Programme
http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/content/documents/Letter%20to%20Dispatches%205th%20March%202007.pdf
Is the Prince of
Wales 'too political'? (256 comments)
Come
clean, Prince Charles
The Observer - UK
Prince Charles is a man of strong opinions on some subjects: architecture,
rural affairs, homeopathy. Like anyone, he is entitled to his views. ...
See all stories on this topic
-----
Original Message -----
From: Zeus To: Channel 4 News Sent:
Monday, March 12, 2007 8:25 PM Subject:
Prince Charles/Alternative Medicine In my Opinion - Without Prejudice I am watching this trashing of alternative medicine on your
Despatches programme about Prince Charles. Prince Charles is a hero in
the CAM world. Please do a programme on Professor Edzard Ernst and find out
where he trained in Complementary
medicine as noone knows where!! He apparently trained in
homeopathy BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHERE and for how long. He is a fraud
and knows nothing of any relevance about homeopathy. He is a
medical doctor. And by the way DILUTION ALONE WOULD DO NOTHING IN THE
MAKING OF HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES WITHOUT SUCCUSSION OR VIGOROUS SHAKING
BETWEEN POTENCIES. PLEASE GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT!!!! PS. I hope you get a million other complaints about
this programme and the half wit presenter you chose to deliver it. Louise Mclean, Zeus Information Service Alternative Views on Health