Quackbase!

Claim number: 37

Claimant: The Global Natural Healthcare Trust

Claim date: May 2, 2011

Forum in which the claim was made: Website

Claim methodology: Herbal remedies

Frequency with which the claim is made by this claimant: Frequent

Actual claim: Treats AIDS

Plausibility of this claim: Untested and implausible

Summary

This UK funded charity runs a clinic in Orange Farm near Johannesburg in which they treat people with HIV using herbal remedies.

Description

The website of The Global Natural Healthcare Trust claims:

Founded in 2001, by Medical Herbalist Annette Montague-Thomas, the charity treats patients holistically with medical herbs which are both safe and organic.

GNHCT has been providing treatment on the Orange Farm Settlement since long before Antiretrovirals were permitted in South Africa. We embrace an Integrated Medicine approach.

The herbal treatments, which are provided free of charge, work by strengthening the bodily systems. The otherwise prescribed medicaments, known as Antiretrovirals, are only available to nonpaying patients who have a CD4 count of 200 and below. Many are still waiting.

We have helped many people who had no hope and we are committed to helping many more people who suffer unnecessarily in South Africa.

This wording gives the impression that they are not opposed to antiretroviral treatment. However It is unclear if they provide antiretrovirals to their patients and if in fact they are de facto offering their medicines as alternatives to antiretrovirals. There is also no evidence of any herbal medicines slowing progression to AIDS.

The website of this organisation is professionally designed. This organisation gives the impression of being well-funded by UK donors.