KINGSTON, Jamaica, Jul 22, CMC – Jamaicans are being urged against relying solely on on herbal medicine for treating serious illnesses, particularly cancers.
Clinical Coordinator at the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Dr. Delroy Fray, said that patients have been foregoing conventional medical treatments in favour of herbal remedies, oftentimes on advice from non-medical practitioners.
He told a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank that this practice can lead to dire consequences, including preventable deaths and worsening health conditions.
Dr. Fray recounted seeing five patients in just one week, three of whom were young, educated individuals, who were diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer.
“These patients presented with large lumps in their breasts and it raises a critical question – why are we seeing such advanced cases?” he said, attributing the troubling trend to the influence of herbal practitioners who often mislead patients into believing that herbal treatments can cure their conditions.
Dr. Fray shared another account of a man with diabetes who, after being advised by a neighbour to drink a herbal concoction, stopped his prescribed medication. Within two weeks, he developed a severe infection that necessitated the amputation of his toe.
“This is not an isolated incident. Social media is rife with misinformation about cures for various ailments, and people are falling victim to these false promises,” the senior medical practitioner said, explaining that many patients are drawn to herbal treatments because they perceive them as safe and natural.
He said that while there is a place for herbal medicine, it must be regulated and used in conjunction with conventional treatments.
“Herbal remedies can have beneficial properties but they should not replace scientifically proven medical treatments,” he said, citing a Yale University study, which showed that patients who relied solely on herbal remedies had significantly higher mortality rates compared to those who pursued conventional treatments.
“The evidence is clear. Those who combine conventional treatments with herbal remedies fare much better than those who choose herbal treatments alone,” he told the JIS Think Tank.
Dr. Fray also addressed common misconceptions that deter women from seeking timely breast cancer screenings, dispelling myths that mammograms could cause cancer or that radiation treatments worsen the disease.
“The benefits of early detection through mammography far outweigh the risks,” he said, noting that early-stage lesions can be detected when they are as small as a pinhead.
Dr. Fray urged the public to be vigilant about their health and to prioritise early detection.
CMC/gh/ir/2025