By STAFF REPORTERS and NZPA
Two child-cancer specialists have made a formal complaint about alternative therapy provided to Liam Williams-Holloway.
Dr Mike Sullivan, of Dunedin Hospital, who treated Liam's jaw tumour before the boy's parents took him into hiding, has joined forces with Dr Rob Corbett of Christchurch Hospital in raising
concerns over the lack of regulations governing alternative therapists.
But Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson said last night that it was unfortunate that they had complained to him so soon after Liam's death.
The 5-year-old died last month in Mexico, where he was taken for treatment a year ago.
Mr Paterson said his office did not launch investigations into complaints made by third parties without speaking to the person or family involved and it would be inappropriate to contact Liam's parents yet.
Liam's mother, Trena Williams, of Hawea Flat near Wanaka, declined to comment last night, saying she did not wish to add to the controversy.
Dr Sullivan said that while 90 per cent of alternative therapists ran ethical and professional practices, others were taking advantage of desperately ill and vulnerable people.
"There is a whole industry out there that is frankly fraudulent, that is not practising within any commercial or professional boundaries, and needs to be seriously addressed."
Dr Corbett said he was particularly disturbed by three cases where parents of children dying from incurable cancer had withdrawn from conventional treatment, in favour of alternative medicine.
"In two instances, they arrived back here in the most horrendous condition.
"You wouldn't put your dog through it, quite frankly."
He believed that chemotherapy had offered a 60 per cent to 70 per cent chance of curing Liam's tumour, and has criticised the boy's parents for discontinuing the treatment.
The doctors have asked the commissioner to investigate whether the therapist who treated Liam before the boy went to Mexico breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights.
Their complaint does not name the practitioner, but Rotorua-based therapist Gerhard Uys said he assumed it was him. He treated Liam for three months using "quantum vibrational therapy" from an electronic machine which passes a current through the body through hand-held cords.
Mr Uys also put Liam on a diet heavy in supplements such as selenium, flax oil, barley and de-worming medicine.
He and his partner Dawn Uys invented the machine but have said they do not fully understand the treatment.
Mr Uys said yesterday that Liam's jaw tumour reduced to nothing in three weeks under the treatment. He did not advise Liam's parents to stop chemotherapy.
"I do not compete with conventional medicine. I am not a doctor. We do not make claims we can cure cancer."
Alternative therapists are largely unregulated, compared with doctors, nurses, dentists and many other health workers, who, by law, must be registered and can be subject to statutory disciplinary proceedings.
However, the health commissioner's independent prosecutor can take alternative therapists to the Complaints Review Tribunal, which can award damages of up to $200,000.
The Government has set up a ministerial advisory committee on "complementary" healthcare.
By STAFF REPORTERS and NZPA
Two child-cancer specialists have made a formal complaint about alternative therapy provided to Liam Williams-Holloway.
Dr Mike Sullivan, of Dunedin Hospital, who treated Liam's jaw tumour before the boy's parents took him into hiding, has joined forces with Dr Rob Corbett of Christchurch Hospital in raising
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