Barbara O’Neill, who is permanently barred from providing health services in Australia, faces criticism from UK experts over her upcoming series of natural health seminars.
Key facts
- •Barbara O’Neill was permanently banned from providing health services in Australia in 2019 following an HCCC investigation.
- •The HCCC found that O’Neill provided selective information that discouraged patients from seeking mainstream cancer, antibiotic, and vaccination treatments.
- •Upcoming events include a five-day retreat in Cheshire and appearances at the City North hotel in Ireland and Glasgow University Union.
- •Tickets for the Cheshire retreat, titled A Taste of Misty Mountain, are priced at £700.
- •UK experts warn that following O’Neill’s advice instead of evidence-based medicine could result in serious harm or death.
Barbara O’Neill, a 73-year-old self-described naturopath and nutritionist, is scheduled to host a series of health-focused events across the UK and Ireland. O’Neill is currently under a permanent prohibition order in Australia, where the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) banned her from providing health services in 2019 due to findings that she promoted dangerous, evidence-free medical claims.
By the numbers
Expert Concerns Over Misinformation
A group of UK-based medical experts and academics, led by Dr. David Robert Grimes of Trinity College Dublin, has written to venues hosting O’Neill to express concern. The letter labels O’Neill a "leading vector of medical misinformation" and warns that her events promote dangerous health fictions, such as claims that cancer is a fungus treatable with bicarbonate soda and that vaccines cause autism. Signatories include leaders from Breakthrough Cancer Research, the Trinity College Dublin School of Medicine, and University College London.
Venue Responses and O’Neill’s Defense
Venues hosting the events, including the De Vere Cranage Estate and Glasgow University Union, stated that they provide space for private clients and do not necessarily endorse the content or opinions expressed by speakers. Michael O’Neill, Barbara’s husband, defended his wife, claiming the Australian ban had "serious legal flaws" and alleging that the HCCC is biased against natural wellness practitioners. He maintained that Barbara never received a complaint of harm from a patient.
Timeline
- 2019The New South Wales HCCC concluded an investigation and permanently banned Barbara O’Neill from providing health services.
- Early OctoberO’Neill is scheduled to host a five-day retreat at the Cranage Estate in Cheshire.
- Mid-OctoberA multi-day event featuring O’Neill is scheduled at the City North hotel in Gormanston, Ireland.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Guardian Health.
