Australian alternative health promoter Barbara O’Neill is facing sharp condemnation from medical experts following a residential retreat in Cheshire, where she advised attendees to abandon conventional medical treatments for serious conditions including cancer, diabetes, and lupus. An undercover reporter for the Guardian attended the event at the De Vere Cranage Estate hotel, where tickets cost up to £1,300 per person.
Cheshire Wellness Conference Draws Criticism
During the Cheshire retreat, O’Neill told a woman diagnosed with a stomach tumour that “sometimes scans are not right” and recommended applying a castor oil compress to the outside of the body. When another attendee asked for help with lupus, O’Neill responded, “keep away from the doctor.” Medical professionals contacted by the Guardian have called her guidance dangerous and potentially fatal.
O’Neill commands a significant digital presence, boasting 3.6 million Instagram followers and 1.7 million on Facebook. Her teachings mix basic healthy lifestyle advice—such as eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep—with unscientific and potentially deadly medical claims.
Medical Experts Warn of Life-Threatening Advice
During the event’s question-and-answer sessions, O’Neill dispensed alternative remedies for numerous medical issues. She recommended castor oil mixed with cayenne pepper in the eye for glaucoma and high blood pressure.
Other recommendations targeted chronic conditions requiring strict medical management. O’Neill advised a woman without a functioning thyroid to slowly stop taking her prescribed thyroxine dose. Martin Whyte, a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Surrey, noted that stopping thyroxine “really makes no sense and risks serious, potentially life-threatening illness.” Similarly, she advised a diabetes patient to stop testing blood sugar and abandon metformin, a suggestion Gill Livingston, a professor of psychiatry of older people at UCL, labeled “very dangerous” due to the risk of multiple physical complications and death.
International Bans and Ongoing Tours
The 73-year-old alternative practitioner previously faced regulatory action in her home country. In 2019, Australian authorities banned O’Neill from providing health services, concluding she was responsible for misleading vulnerable people with dangerous claims that lacked evidence and threatened public safety. Since that ban, she has taken her unregulated services overseas, staging appearances in the UK and Ireland.
Prof Liam Smeeth, director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, described her claims as extraordinary, emphasizing that following them could cause substantial harm, including death.
Responding to media inquiries via a video published to social media with her husband, Michael, O’Neill defended her work. Michael characterised the reporting as a modern-day witch-hunt driven by pharmaceutical industry interests and stated they intend to continue holding public events.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Cheshire Event
Why was Barbara O’Neill banned from practicing in Australia?
In 2019, Australian authorities banned O’Neill from providing any health services after determining she misled vulnerable people and made dangerous claims not supported by evidence that posed a public safety risk.
What specific alternative remedies did O’Neill promote at the Cheshire hotel?
At the De Vere Cranage Estate hotel retreat, O’Neill recommended castor oil compresses for stomach tumours, nasal polyps, endometriosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and bile duct stones, alongside suggesting a mixture of castor oil and cayenne pepper for glaucoma.
How have medical professionals reacted to her recent UK appearances?
Prominent doctors, psychiatrists, and medical professors have written to venues and spoken to reporters to warn that O’Neill’s advice to halt prescribed medications for thyroid conditions, diabetes, and cancer creates severe, life-threatening risks for attendees.
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