Is Woolworths putting your health at risk? Free naturopath consultations spark experts’ concern
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Nowadays, it’s no surprise that Australians are turning to online services to access healthcare. Thankfully, it's now easier than ever to get help with our most pressing health problems, with plenty of online platforms that offer remote consultations with doctors, nutritionists, and dieticians.
However, one issue of these cost-saving services has recently come to light. Recently, HealthyLife–a subsidiary of Woolworths–offered free telehealth consultations with their in-house naturopaths, causing alarm bells to ring among leading health organisations.
By definition, naturopathy or naturopathic medicine is the alternative medicine that promotes ‘non-invasive’ practices and ‘self-healing’ employed by its practitioners, known as naturopaths.
Many people increasingly turn to naturopathy due to high healthcare costs and long wait times.
Dr Elizabeth Deveny, the Chief Executive of the Consumers Health Forum, said: ‘We are concerned that people, because of cost-of-living pressures and wait times, might seek advice from somebody who’s not their regular GP, who maybe is not the best person to manage or treat their condition.’
Sadly, some of these treatments may often be ineffective in tackling the root of the problem, and worse still, they could lead to delayed diagnosis of something more serious.
‘In some cases, things that might seem easy to treat–maybe it’s heartburn, maybe it’s a rash–could have a much more serious underlying problem that requires proper investigation,’ Dr Deveny stressed.
HealthyLife posts the disclaimer recommending customers to speak to their usual healthcare professional: ‘This service is not designed to replace your usual naturopath or healthcare professional. In some cases, you will be referred back to your usual naturopath or general practitioner (GP).’
Though naturopathy is a potentially unsubstantiated form of healthcare, what has made this questionable is that the consultations are complemented by a retail pharmacy that stocks vitamins and supplements.
Dr Nicole Higgins, President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, stated that people turning to Woolworths’s free naturopath appointments is a concerning trend.
‘We need to think about why Woolworths would step into this type of model, and that’s because of profit,’ Dr Higgins pointed out.
‘The free naturopath visit–they’ve got a conflict of interest because they’ve got a whole aisle devoted to vitamins and supplements, and so it’s really important that we separate out the conflicts of interest,’ she said.
Jon Wardle, a professor of Public Health and Director of the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine at Southern Cross University, echoed this sentiment. While data in Brazil, Canada and Germany showed the cost-effective benefits of naturopathy, he was concerned by its vertical integration with Woolworths’ model of prescription and sale of products.
‘If the consult is free, but you’re walking out with $200 worth of products, that’s a $200 consult. The link directly with the product arm of Woolworths natural health products is something that does suggest that there is a real potential for conflict there.’ he said.
Professor Peter Brooks from the University of Melbourne’s School of Population and Global Health weighed in on the subject: ‘The problem with naturopathy is that one of the most important things we push in healthcare is we want evidence-based healthcare.’
Professor Brooks pointed out that seeking non-evidence-based health practices can delay diagnosis and make treatment more difficult.
Meanwhile, a HealthyLife spokesperson clarified: ‘They do not have product sales targets, nor do they receive commission from product sales’.
Their website also has testimonies of people who took up the naturopathy consultations. One patient wrote: ‘Really happy with the supplement they recommended me. Love!’
Another testimonial said they received diet suggestions and natural remedies for their condition.
HealthyLife also said that general practice telehealth consultations are still the most popular service, with ‘thousands of customers booking a telehealth appointment with an Australian registered doctor’.
Remember, members, while we encourage keeping open minds, we highly advise consulting your regular healthcare professional before taking any new alternatives.
What do you think of this story, members? Do you share these experts’ concerns about naturopathy? Tell us in the comments below!
However, one issue of these cost-saving services has recently come to light. Recently, HealthyLife–a subsidiary of Woolworths–offered free telehealth consultations with their in-house naturopaths, causing alarm bells to ring among leading health organisations.
By definition, naturopathy or naturopathic medicine is the alternative medicine that promotes ‘non-invasive’ practices and ‘self-healing’ employed by its practitioners, known as naturopaths.
Many people increasingly turn to naturopathy due to high healthcare costs and long wait times.
Dr Elizabeth Deveny, the Chief Executive of the Consumers Health Forum, said: ‘We are concerned that people, because of cost-of-living pressures and wait times, might seek advice from somebody who’s not their regular GP, who maybe is not the best person to manage or treat their condition.’
HealthyLife, a Woolworths subsidiary, offered free consultations with naturopathic healthcare. Credit: HealthyLife
Sadly, some of these treatments may often be ineffective in tackling the root of the problem, and worse still, they could lead to delayed diagnosis of something more serious.
‘In some cases, things that might seem easy to treat–maybe it’s heartburn, maybe it’s a rash–could have a much more serious underlying problem that requires proper investigation,’ Dr Deveny stressed.
HealthyLife posts the disclaimer recommending customers to speak to their usual healthcare professional: ‘This service is not designed to replace your usual naturopath or healthcare professional. In some cases, you will be referred back to your usual naturopath or general practitioner (GP).’
Though naturopathy is a potentially unsubstantiated form of healthcare, what has made this questionable is that the consultations are complemented by a retail pharmacy that stocks vitamins and supplements.
Dr Nicole Higgins, President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, stated that people turning to Woolworths’s free naturopath appointments is a concerning trend.
‘We need to think about why Woolworths would step into this type of model, and that’s because of profit,’ Dr Higgins pointed out.
‘The free naturopath visit–they’ve got a conflict of interest because they’ve got a whole aisle devoted to vitamins and supplements, and so it’s really important that we separate out the conflicts of interest,’ she said.
Jon Wardle, a professor of Public Health and Director of the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine at Southern Cross University, echoed this sentiment. While data in Brazil, Canada and Germany showed the cost-effective benefits of naturopathy, he was concerned by its vertical integration with Woolworths’ model of prescription and sale of products.
‘If the consult is free, but you’re walking out with $200 worth of products, that’s a $200 consult. The link directly with the product arm of Woolworths natural health products is something that does suggest that there is a real potential for conflict there.’ he said.
Professor Peter Brooks from the University of Melbourne’s School of Population and Global Health weighed in on the subject: ‘The problem with naturopathy is that one of the most important things we push in healthcare is we want evidence-based healthcare.’
Professor Brooks pointed out that seeking non-evidence-based health practices can delay diagnosis and make treatment more difficult.
Meanwhile, a HealthyLife spokesperson clarified: ‘They do not have product sales targets, nor do they receive commission from product sales’.
Their website also has testimonies of people who took up the naturopathy consultations. One patient wrote: ‘Really happy with the supplement they recommended me. Love!’
Another testimonial said they received diet suggestions and natural remedies for their condition.
HealthyLife also said that general practice telehealth consultations are still the most popular service, with ‘thousands of customers booking a telehealth appointment with an Australian registered doctor’.
Remember, members, while we encourage keeping open minds, we highly advise consulting your regular healthcare professional before taking any new alternatives.
What do you think of this story, members? Do you share these experts’ concerns about naturopathy? Tell us in the comments below!
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