FROM death of Elizabeth IIroyal power in England passed into the hands of his son, now known as Charles III. In Buckingham, a new stage begins, very different from the one who sat on the throne for 70 years. In recent days, social media and headlines around the world have echoed some of the new king’s idiosyncratic manias. Also about my hobbies, so different from my mother’s. For example, during his time as a prince, he was involved in more than one controversy due to his support of pseudoscience and pseudotherapy such as homeopathy.
His involvement in such matters was so great that he even became the owner of a company that promoted some herbal remedies without any scientific proof. One of the most controversial was a tincture based on dandelion and artichoke, which promised to “neutralize the body.”
All this, in addition, brought him several clashes with Dr. Edzard Ernst, a retired professor of complementary medicine from University of Exeterknown for his activism against pseudo-therapy, to the study of which he devoted himself.
Carlos III and homeopathy
There were several occasions when Carlos III expressed his support for various pseudo-therapies.
However, the real controversy began in 2005 when he commissioned economist Christopher Smallwood to write a report on cost-effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine. Its purpose was to demonstrate that this type of practice should be funded by the state. UK National Health Service (NHS).
Edzard Ernst himself also participated in it. However, he requested that his name be removed after verifying that scientific proof they were not taken into account in the conclusions. Here the confrontation between the monarch and the doctor began, which, in addition, gave rise to a large number of complaints and threats from the population against the latter.
The evidence prevails
Despite the preparation of this report, in 2017 House of Commons Committee on Science and Technology declared homeopathy scientifically implausible. In addition, the NHS has taken a number of measures to make it unavailable by prescription. However, in the same year, the then Prince Charles became the patron of an organization aimed at promoting him.
Since then, one after another, other similar situations have occurred. In some cases he was the direct architect of the same, while in others he was only pre-historic fame. The latter happened, for example, at the height of the pandemic, when he himself fell ill with COVID-19. The current king, Carlos III, recovered so quickly that in Indiaa country known for its great support of homeopathy, false information spread that it was being treated with this pseudo-therapy.
The prince’s officials were quick to deny this, but the damage had already been done. The fame of homeopathy against coronavirus has spread like wildfire and has become even bigger in India. Needless to say, this was not his fault. However, when a person of great influence gives such unconditional support to pseudoscientific ideas, reality and evidence will prevail much more difficult.
Now what?
Now that the prince has become King Carlos III, it remains to be seen if he will change his position in homeopathy. However, it may also be that he is using his new influence to give more strength to his pseudoscientific discourse.
Though it’s true that his old years public support for homeopathy seemed to pass, in the same year he gave the opening speech at a major conference on integrative medicine.
It is a concept that combines scientific medicine with alternative therapies. It’s true that it may seem like you’re halfway through area of pseudotherapy, but this is still another manifestation of pseudoscience. So it doesn’t look like his point of view has changed. We will have to wait to find out how he behaves as a king and, above all, whether he decides to keep what has been unconditional support so far. Perhaps we will get answers soon.
Source: Hiper Textual
