Humans are imperfect patients so we can’t ignore alternative remedies’ popularity

Analysis: Cancer patients are using complementary therapies which may interact harmfully with prescribed drugs

There is no evidence that alternative therapies can effectively treat cancer (PA)

If not more art than science, medicine will always be about more than the best evidence, diagnostics or drugs – because at its beating heart there is a patient.

People living with a long term, or life-threatening condition don’t have the option to leave their disease at the door when they depart hospital. They have to make home life, work and relationships work while trying to do what’s best for their health.

So it shouldn’t be a huge surprise that one third of current or past cancer patients have used an alternative remedy in the last 12 months, or even that one in nine did so without telling their doctor.