Homeopathy victims pursue compensation

MEDIA: Tindall Gask Bentley is representing more than a dozen victims who contracted a serious bacterial infection after homeopathy treatment.

29/8/11: The Advertiser, ‘Infected’ treatment victims sue homeopath, Click here

30/8/11: InDaily online newspaper, Legal warning on homeopathy, Click here

Tindall Gask Bentley, is representing more than a dozen victims who contracted a serious bacterial infection after homeopathy treatment.

It is believed as many as 50 people were injected with a fluid contaminated by mycobacterium chelonae, which causes illness and severe scarring.

Tindall Gask Bentley lawyer Mal Byrne has already won compensation for five of the victims.

“These people underwent biomesotherapy hoping for health benefits but instead they have been left seriously ill with their quality of life significantly hampered,” Mr Byrne said.

“One man had scarring that was so extreme that it required multiple operations and many more will also need surgery, while all were forced to take long-term doses of antibiotics to counter the illness.”

Mr Byrne said many of the incidents occurred throughout 2008, and is encouraging others who have been adversely affected to come forward.

“People have a right to undergo treatment with the expectation that all of the necessary precautions have been taken, and for many a duty of care has been breached,” he said.

Mr Byrne said these cases serve as a warning for those considering alternative therapy.

“The problem is that the industry isn’t regulated by the government,” Mr Byrne said.

“Homeopathy is currently self-regulated, which isn’t enough to hold the practitioners to account and ensure that high health standards are met.”