On May 12 the Prince of Wales spoke in London to the Global Leaders Conference on One Health and Antimicrobial Resistance. HRH raised the issue of the overuse of antibiotics especially in the raising of farm animals, a situation that has led to antibiotic resistance in the human population in many parts of the world.
He pointed out that for over thirty years he had successfully used homeopathic treatments on his organic farm in Gloucester.
He went on, Ultimately, this is an agenda that affects us all, and the whole of any Government – not just those concerned with healthcare or agriculture,’ he said.
I have enormous sympathy for those engaged in the vital task of ensuring that as the world population continues to increase unsustainably, and travel becomes easier, antibiotics retain their ability to overcome disease.
It must be incredibly frustrating to witness the fact that, as has been pointed out by many authorities, antibiotics have too often simply acted as a substitute for basic hygiene, or as it would seem, as a way of placating a patient who has a viral infection or who actually needs little more than patience to allow a minor bacterial infection to resolve itself.
The Prince of Wales’ comments on homeopathy evoked a storm of criticisms. Simon Singh who has led campaigns against homeopathy said, The over-use of antibiotics is a serious issue, but Prince Charles’s knee-jerk, ideological and illogical promotion of homeopathy is an yet another example of him abusing his position as heir to the throne.
Yet according to a Guardian article, the government’s chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies, a homeopathy sceptic who was present at the meeting, was more conciliatory. She was pleased that HRH had endorsed the meeting and welcomed his comments. She had visited his organic farm twice. He’s an organic farmer who has cared all his life for animal welfare and he hardly uses antibiotics,” she said. His sponsorship means we have a very senior set of people here from around the world.
PMK
