The Gerson Support Group, which promotes nutritional therapy for people with life-limiting illnesses, has had its charitable status revoked for failing to provide evidence to back up its medical claims.
Gerson, which was at one time endorsed by Prince Charles, recommends an organic vegetarian diet, nutritional supplements and enemas to help restore health. According to The Telegraph:
The decision comes after the regulator tightened up its rules for charities offering complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies.
In 2018, a review by the Charity Commission concluded that to satisfy the “public benefit” requirement and qualify for charitable status, organisations must provide evidence that the therapy being offered is capable of delivering the claimed benefits.
This is the first time that a CAM charity has been removed from the register following the review.
The Charity Commission said it is investigating a number of other similar cases and has warned CAM charities “to consider the public benefit requirement and ensure that their own activities deliver clear public benefit”.
The Charity Commission began its investigation into Gerson Support Group in September 2019, questioning its trustees and reviewing its nutritional therapy programme.
The organisation agreed that its claims about treating cancer and its symptoms would not now meet the regulator’s tougher new registration criteria.
Prince Charles referenced Gerson in a speech he made in 2004. The heir to the throne said:
“I know of one patient who turned to Gerson Therapy having been told that she was suffering from terminal cancer, and would not survive another course of chemotherapy. Happily, seven years later she is alive and well. So it is therefore vital that, rather than dismissing such experiences, we should further investigate the beneficial nature of these treatments.”
The Charity Commission told The Telegraph that it was looking into other Complementary & Alternative Medicine charities, but wouldn’t confirm how many.
