New research has emerged from California’s McMaster University which links gut bacteria populations to symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety. It supports something we have seen time and again at the Finchley Clinic: that a healthy gut contributes not only to better digestion but to an overall higher quality of life.

Now, as studies go, this one is still small-scale, but it does show for the first time that gut bacteria play an active role in causing depressive behaviour and anxiety. The researchers exposed one population of infant mice to normal bacteria; the other group was grown in a sterile environment. They then induced stress in the mice by temporarily separating them from their mothers, and watched to see the results. The mice exposed to ordinary bacteria levels, with normal populations of gut flora, soon began to show signs of depression with increased levels of corticosterone – a stress hormone. But the group who grew up free from harmful bacteria, though they also had elevated levels of corticosterone, showed no signs of altered behavior: they behaved just like the mice in the control group, who were neither stressed nor kept sterile.

Interestingly, when the germ-free mice were exposed to normal levels of bacteria, allowing them to develop a more complex gut microbiome, they began to show signs of depression just as the other stressed mice had done. This was a further indication that it was the mice’s gut bacteria causing them to either succumb to negative stimuli or “stay positive”.

This phenomenon has been studied several times in the past, with a focus on the benefits of probiotics. We don’t know exactly what it is about the gut that links it to the mind, but it’s well known that the two are closely related: stress-induced gut problems are very common. It does make sense that improving the gut environment would have a knock-on effect on psychological health.

Of course, we as human beings can’t replicate the sterile conditions used in the study – but what we can do is look after our bowels and keep them clean. Every day we expose them to bacteria and toxins from the water we swallow and the food we ingest; diets high in sugar can encourage harmful growths of candida; and waste can build up over the years and prevent our intestines from functioning at their peak.

This is why we encourage the use of a good probiotic as well as oxygen cleansing to maintain healthy bowels. Cleansing is intended to loosen any waste buildup and expel it from your system. The oxygen also creates an environment that promotes the growth of the healthy aerobic bacteria that help you digest your food, while making it hard for anaerobic yeast to grow. We’ve already heard from plenty of happy customers who say they’ve seen improvements in their mental state with the use of products like Oxy-Powder, Threelac and Oxygen Elements Max; and of course we have the testimony of our owner Mark Lester to go on.

We hope to see more from the team at McMaster University. It seems they’re on the right track!

Summer is almost here, which means many of us will soon be jetting off to places unknown. Travel comes with its own unique set of health risks, from unfamiliar foods to contaminated water – not to mention fatigue, jet lag, travel sickness and sunburn. You might even find yourself struck down by stress-induced “holiday flu” the minute you start to relax. After forking out for a holiday and waiting for months, we all want to get the most out of our holidays that we can, and that starts with looking after our health.

En route: Travel sickness can be easily dealt with using ginger, a natural nausea remedy beloved by expecting mothers and other sufferers of queasiness for centuries. If your butterflies have more to do with anxiety than motion, consider a calming dose of theanine, an amino acid found in green tea which promotes relaxation by stimulating alpha-type brainwaves. It encourages an alert but calm state of mind – essential for keeping track of everything during a long journey – and it’s safe to use for kids who might be over-excited or anxious. Once you arrive, the jetlag will start to set in. Some choose to power through it, others choose to nap; but to give your brain a helping hand, try a supplement of 5-HTP. This amino acid is produced naturally by your body just before melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep cycle. Obviously anyone on holiday looks forward to sleeping in, but getting solid, healthy sleep is essential as your body adjusts to a new environment.

“Holiday belly”: Even if the water at your destination is safe for the locals to drink, you might still find yourself in a spot of tummy trouble. Unfamiliar bacteria can play havoc with your guts, competing with your usual bacteria population and causing nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea accompanied by dehydration. Bolster your gut flora before you leave with probioticslike Saccharomyces boulardii – a key ingredient in Opti-Bac Probiotics for travelling abroad that’s well known for its effectiveness against holiday sickness,. For the best protection, combine it with an antifungal like grapefruit seed extract, to combat candida overgrowth and lessen the impact of foreign bacteria on your digestive system. Bio-Kult Candea contains seven kinds of probiotic as well as grapefruit seed extract; it also contains garlic to boost your immune system. Keep taking probiotics and antifungals all the way up to and during your holiday to keep your system strong – we recommend long or continuous courses of these supplements in any case for best results. If you do end up with a stomach bug, make sure you stick to bottled or boiled water and drink plenty of it to keep your fluids up.

The dreaded flu: We often tend to push ourselves hardest right before taking time off. It makes sense to get everything done so you don’t need to worry about work during your break – but that extra push combined with the build-up of months of fatigue takes a toll on your body. When you finally relax, your weakened immune system is open to all kinds of viruses and infections, resulting in a far less enjoyable vacation. Start building up your immune system long before you leave, with large doses of vitamin C and other essential vitamins. If you’re not already in the habit of taking a daily multivitamin, this is the perfect time to start. You can also load up your diet with vitamin-rich foods like garlic, onions, broccoli and citrus.

For extra protection, try beta glucans or propolis – they can help your immune system develop antibodies to fight off both fungal and microbial infections, while black elderberry extract attacks the viruses themselves to slow their replication rate. It’s also a source of powerful antioxidants, making it a great year-round supplement.

Beach-ready: We’ve come a long way from the days when a natural tan was considered healthy. Nowadays, we know skin cancer is a real danger and daily sun protection is our first line of defence. If you’re heading for the sun, a high-SPF sunscreen is absolutely essential – but sunscreen wears off, especially if you’re exercising or swimming, and it’s good to have some backup in case you forget to re-apply. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid, like beta carotene, which is extracted from the micro-algaeHaematoccus pluvialis. A daily dose of just 4mg can help to protect your skin from UV damage as well as fight the effects of free radicals as you age – you might see less sagging or wrinkling in your skin as a result. The effects of astaxanthin are usually best after ten weeks of use. Sunscreen, a hat and shade are still your best weapons against sun damage, but every little helps.

Finally, remember to stay hydrated. Long plane flights, beach days, alcohol and hotter climates can all contribute to dehydration and knock the fun out of your holiday. There’s no reason you can’t let loose on holiday – just keep in mind that your body is with you for life, not just those two weeks in Spain.

Vegan and vegetarian diets are experiencing something of a heyday at the moment. And with good reason: for the most part, humans don’t actually need to eat meat. We can easily absorb most of the protein and vitamins we need from plant-based sources, and a lot of us nowadays ingest far more fat and protein than we need to be healthy. That’s not to mention the huge toll that the meat, dairy and egg industries take on the environment or the accompanying animal rights issues.

But most of us have been brought up on diets that use animal products as the primary source of fat, protein, Vitamin B12 and calcium. Vegans and vegetarians must find replacements or risk developing serious health issues. Going vegan without learning how to eat properly is a recipe for vitamin deficiency, digestive problems, heart troubles and other nasty illnesses.

Protein is the main thing that tends to worry new vegans. Adult males need 56g of protein a day, while women need about 48g, according to the World Health Organisation. But as a vegan, not only have you lost meat as a protein source, but also dairy and eggs – what to do? It’s an easy fix if you think about it: cows and sheep get their protein from the nitrogen in their all-plant diet, and you can do the same. Most vegetables contain some protein already but for an easy fix, nuts and legumes are packed with it. If you have a nut allergy or just need that extra hit, hemp seeds are a fantastic source of protein, healthy fats and amino acids.

So that’s protein – how about calcium? We need it for healthy bones, teeth, heart function and muscles, and from the time we’re toddlers we learn that cow’s milk is the best way to get it – but that’s not exactly true. After all, not every human culture drinks milk, and in fact many of us are lactose intolerant: evidence that dairy consumption is completely unnecessary for a healthy diet. You can easily replace it in your diet with dark green vegetables, like broccoli, bok choy and collard greens – which are also rich in iron for a one-two nutritional punch.

One nutrient that often goes missing in vegan diets is vitamin B12. It hasn’t benefited from the PR that protein and calcium have, but it’s essential for brain function, red blood cell formation, cardiovascular health and DNA synthesis. Humans can’t produce their own and our usual dietary sources are meat, cheese and eggs, so as a vegan your options are fortified processed foodsor a good supplement. B12 fortified foods usually use synthetic cyanocobalamin, which is less well absorbed, so we recommend a vitamin B12 supplement from methylcobalamin. It’s the most absorbable form of vitamin B12, ensuring you don’t miss out on vital nutrients.

Lastly, probiotics – another dietary component you won’t notice until it’s gone. A good population of beneficial gut bacteria is essential for digestion as well as overall good health – as you’ll know if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time. When you can no longer use yoghurt as a source of probiotics, there are plenty of alternatives. Unsurprisingly, many of them originated in Asia where dairy has historically not been a major part of the diet. Fermented foods are often high in friendly bacteria, from pickled vegetables like kimchi to fermented teas like kombucha and some fermented soy products. However, realistically, you won’t always get a good dose of probiotics through your everyday diet, and that’s fine – switching it up keeps life exciting.This is why we recommend a daily probiotic supplement to everyone, no matter what they eat.

Are you a vegan? How do you make sure you get everything you need from your diet? Let us know in the comments!

Some exciting research came to light recently that highlights the power of multivitamins. We’re firm believers in preventative dosages of vitamins and minerals here at the Finchley Clinic, and always have been. Many of us live on diets that don’t reach anywhere near the official recommendations for vitamin or mineral levels, and most people will consider a multivitamin only if they’re pregnant or feeling under the weather. But we believe that even the nationally recommended guidelines for vitamin dosage fall far short of the levels we truly need for optimal health.

A study published in The Journal of Nutrition in March 2015 followed almost 9,000 participants for close on twenty years to find out whether multivitamin usage contributed to a healthy heart. They found some interesting results: women who took multivitamin-mineral supplements for at least three years did indeed experience a 35% lower risk of dying from heart disease.

There are a few important keywords here. “Mineral” is one: only participants who took mineral supplements as well as vitamins received the benefits. So while vitamins are important, we can’t neglect the role of minerals in our diets. They work in tandem to keep us healthy, and one without the other is likely to be substantially less effective in filling the gaps in our nutrition.

The second thing to gain from this study is that participants had to take supplements over an extended period to receive the full benefits. We sell a lot of products to which this applies, including our ranges of oxygenation and ozonation products. We tell all our customers not to expect immediate results, but rather a gradually improved quality of life over a long course of the product. A multivitamin is not a magic quick fix and it’s not a medicine. It’s simply a way of giving your body the full range of nutrients it needs to function properly. If you got these nutrients through your diet, you’d be getting regular doses of them throughout your life – so why should a multivitamin be any different?

Several other studies have borne out the link between long-term supplementing of certain minerals and vitamins, and better overall health. The America Heart Journal found that every 20 µmol/L increase in plasma vitamin C levels was associated with a 9% decrease in deaths from heart disease. A US report by CRN found that supplementing with psyllium husk, magnesium and other nutrients at preventative levels could save their health system billions each year in unnecessary medical intervention⁵. That’s something our battered NHS would certainly appreciate.

The best way to keep your health in check is to fuel your body with high quality, organic foods – but unless you watch your diet closely, it’s unlikely that you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals for your body to function at its peak. There’s no point in life at which you won’t benefit from boosting your vitamin and mineral levels. Young, old, pregnant, sick, healthy – whatever your status, you have nothing to lose.

Among the thousands of lotions, moisturisers and topical skin creams on the market, ozonated oils stand out. They’re simple, organic products with just two or three ingredients, but they have a list of uses as long as your arm. They have antioxidant properties and they can fight bacterial and fungal infections, protect your skin and help it to heal. This is one of the benefits of using products derived straight from nature: they retain all the good stuff from the plants they came from, so you can use them for a whole host of different remedies.

Ozonated oils begin as natural oils like olive and coconut. The process of ozonation is done by taking pure organic oil, heating it slightly and infusing it with ozone gas over a long period. Though some ozonated oils have only been ozonated for a few hours, we only carry oils that have been ozonated for a period of at least two days for coconut oil or 4-6 months for olive oil.

The point of the ozonation process is that when released from the oil into your skin, ozone becomes a cleansing agent that reacts with anything that shouldn’t be there. Ozone gas (O₃) is an unstable molecule, but it doesn’t change while it’s fixed in the oil. Once you apply the oil to your skin, the ozone breaks down into O and O₂, and it’s the single oxygen atoms that are so great for your skin.

One of the most exciting things about ozonated oils is their anti-fungal properties. Since we began stocking them, the Finchley Clinic has heard from plenty of satisfied customers who have used ozonated oils to help clean up candida infections. We swear by Cocozone, which is made from organic Sri Lankan coconut oil. Coconut oil is especially good for fighting candida because of its lauric acid content, which can also help to combat ringworm infections, vaginal thrush and athlete’s foot. There has even been a study suggesting that this particular fatty acid has a neutralising effect on chlamydia infections.

Ozonated oils are often used to help with skin inflammations, like dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis and acne. These same properties also help skin that has been damaged by outside forces, like cuts, burns, bee stings and sunburn – even surgical wounds. The antibacterial properties of the ozone help to prevent infection while the oxygen and oil feed your skin. Our ozonated olive oil product, Medcare, also contains shea butter which is packed with vitamins and fatty acids, for soft and healthy skin. Because all the ingredients in our ozonated oils are natural, organic and non-toxic, they can safely be used for babies with nappy rash or even on your pets. The ozonation process turns the oils to a thick paste when done properly, but they melt into liquids when applied, so they don’t cause any unnecessary dragging or irritation to damaged skin. They also feel very pleasant to apply, with a soothing, cooling effect.

Both our ozonatedoils are sold in paste form, and here’s why: liquid oils can only contain a certain percentage of oxygen, roughly 10% in most cases. As a paste, the oil can contain up to 50% ozone as well as releasing it slowly over up to 12 hours for longer-lasting benefits.

Whether you prefer to use coconut or olive oil is entirely up to you. We’ve heard from plenty of people who were satisfied with both. They have their differences: ozonated coconut oil needs to be refrigerated, since if it’s allowed to liquefy it will lose some of its beneficial properties, while ozonated olive oil can be stored in a cupboard. However, coconut oil smells a lot nicer and some find that it simply agrees better with their skin. We recommend you give both a try and see which works better for you. Don’t forget to tell us all about it!

– Experiences of nine years using Ozonized oil in Dermatology. L. Falc6n, D. Sim6n, S. MeneridezI, S. Moya, E. Garbayo, W. Diaz’. Dr. Carlos J. Finlay Military Hospital, Cuba 1987. ‘Ozone Research Center, Cuba.
– Therapeutic Effects of Ozonized Oil in the Treatment of Intractable Fistula and Wound” (2001). Akiyo Matsumoto, Shotaro Sakurai , NarikoShinriki ,Shigeru Suzuki  and Toshiaki Miura
– In vitro inactivation of Chlamydia trachomatis by fatty acids and monoglycerides. Bergsson G1, Arnfinnsson J, Karlsson SM, Steingrímsson O, Thormar H.Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1998 Sep;42(9):2290-4.

It’s an undisputed fact that vitamin C contributes to good health. Most of us already know that it helps us deal with coughs and colds. Linus Pauling’s popular book Vitamin C and the Common Cold discussed this some 40 years ago. We know that old-time sailors and the occasional broke university student have ended up with scurvy after leaving it out of their diets. But you might be surprised to learn just how much vitamin C does for your body. It’s much more than an orange-flavoured tablet to keep colds at bay; vitamin C is part of the glue that holds your body together.

When someone develops scurvy, they notice loose joints, loosened teeth, muscle pain, and haemorrhaging. They might seem unrelated but these symptoms all have to do with vitamin C and its role in forming collagen. Collagen is a vital part of the connective tissue found throughout the body in muscles, joints, cartilage, skin, blood vessels, teeth and bones. The amino acids that make up collagen – specifically hydroryproline and hydroxylysine, which bonds collagen molecules together – are produced by vitamin C-dependent enzymes, so without it, the body literally begins to fall apart.

Vitamin C also plays a role in producing many of the chemicals your body uses to function, including noradrenaline and serotonin.  Low vitamin C levels can result in not just physical symptoms, but also anxiety, fatigue and depression. It really is an all-rounder vitamin: it’s an antioxidant, it can aid synthesis of iron and folic acid, it can act as an antihistamine and, as we know, plays a role in boosting immunity to defend against viruses and infections.

Current recommendations say an adult’s daily intake of vitamin C should be around 65mg. However, many people fail to get even that much through their diet, and we also need to take into account that humans are one of the few animals which don’t produce their own vitamin C. Kinesiological studies have shown that the optimal daily intake of vitamin C to achieve tissue saturation isoftenmore like 10g a day. You may need even more if you’re recently been injured – your body needs to produce more collagen to heal – or if you are fighting off an infection.

Vitamin C supplements are of course readily available on the mass market. They’re usually orange-flavoured pills made from glucose, which is in turn produced from corn starch. The combination of corn products and the citrus bioflavonoids used to give it a pleasant orange taste actually contribute to allergic reactions in a significant proportion of people. Tapioca vitamin C avoids both these problems by sourcing the vitamin from tapioca and packaging it in capsules rather than pills. It’s hypoallergenic and may have better bioavailability than commercial pills – meaning you can take less for the same health-enhancing effects.

As supplements go, this is one of the easiest ways to give your health an all-round boost. A dose three times a day could be all it takes to see your immune system responses and energy levels soar.

If you’re lucky enough to have never had a migraine, it’s difficult to see how a “headache” can be so debilitating. But millions of sufferers struggle to live with the threat of a migraine hanging over their heads – so to speak. No one is sure exactly what causes migraines, and it’s quite possible that there is no single cause that applies to everyone. The good news is that we are not entirely in the dark, and there are still plenty of ways to prevent migraines.

Most sufferers know the common-sense precautions: avoid caffeine, alcohol and stress; get enough sleep; watch your diet and get out in the fresh air. However, sometimes the trigger can be hidden. For example: how’s your magnesium intake? It’s one of the many dietary minerals that most people don’t pay much attention to – but more than one study has linked migraines to low magnesium levels. One of them found that 80% of participants experienced less frequent migraines if they took just 200mg. However, other studies have suggested a dosage of400-600mg magnesium daily, and this is the amount we usually recommend.

It’s thought that magnesium helps to stop blood vessels from suddenly tightening. This rapid vascular constriction and expansion is believed to be the source of the symptoms of a migraine. Magnesium may also reduce the frequency of attacks by stabilising the cell membranes in your blood vessels.

Other supplements make up for deficiencies in vitamins, antioxidants, fatty acids (crucial for brain health) and amino acids. For example, riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, can reduce the frequency of migraines by up to 50% when taken daily in 400mg doses. For the best results, we recommend combining riboflavin and magnesium with feverfew: a traditional herb with a two-thousand-year history of migraine relief.

Don’t expect immediate results
Our usual recommendation is to combine magnesium 400-600mg per day, riboflavin (Vitamin B2) -400mg daily, and feverfew as per the dosage on the label, as the three nutrients have an excellent cumulative effect.  In other words, taking all three together is over three times more effective than taking one on its own. One book currently found in many health food shops suggests that combining these three nutrients will give the vast majority of sufferers their lives back again.

Individual response times vary, but the studies have mostly been based on 3 month trial periods.  We advise sufferers to regard their first 3 months using these nutrients as a trial period. If you find yourself getting far less severe and less frequent migraines, and we hope that you do, you can continue using them indefinitely.

Other natural solutions for migraines
Usually the suggestions above work extremely well. But if they don’t, other herbs, like Ginkgo biloba, can help you reduce or manage your migraines, but you may need to take them for a couple of months before you notice an effect.

Co-enzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is an antioxidant that acts much like a vitamin. It supports energy production and your body produces it naturally, but as we age, we produce less and less. Studies show that sufferers of frequent migraines are often deficient in CoQ10, and supplementing with just 150mg a day could reduce migraine frequency by more than half.

If your migraines are infrequent but severe, you may be looking to control symptoms rather than decrease frequency. Migraine sufferers who supplemented with fatty acids, specifically omega-6 and omega-3, experienced shorter and less severe migraines along with a reduction in frequency and nausea.

Desperate for relief, many sufferers turn to drugs to control their symptoms, like methysergide – now no longer in use due to some pretty severe side effects – and propranolol, which ironically can cause nausea and trouble sleeping. The amino acid 5-Hydroxytryptophan has been shown to be just as effective as these two medicines, with the added bonus of not adding foreign chemicals to your body.

Ginger for migraines
The drug of choice for many migraine sufferers is sumatriptan, but a recent Iranian study found that powdered ginger was just as effective at decreasing the severity of migraines without the dangerous side effects. 250mg of ginger powder can result in less severe migraines within just two hours of use, while avoiding the common side effects of sumatriptan, which include heartburn, dizziness and mild sedation.

Final comments
Of course, no supplement can give you the best possible results if something deeper is wrong. If you experience migraines, try tracking your food and sleep, drink plenty of water and rule out any major illnesses. Give your body the best chance you can to let it heal.

Evans R W, Taylor F R. “Natural” or Alternative Medications for Migraine Prevention.Headache 2006; 46:1012-1018

Smith C B.The Role of Riboflavin in Migraine.Canadian Medical Association Journal 1946; 54: 589-591

Maizels, M., Blumenfeld, A., &Burchette, R. (2004). A combination of riboflavin, magnesium, and feverfew for migraine prophylaxis: a randomized trial. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 44(9), 885-890.

Sandor P S, Di Clemente L, Coppola G, Saenger U, Fumal A, Magis D, et al. Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in migraine prophylaxis: a randomized controlled trial. Neurology 2005;64:713-5.

Titus, F., Davalos, A., Alom, J., &Codina, A. (1986).5-hydroxytryptophan versus methysergide in the prophylaxis of migraine. European neurology, 25(5), 327-329.

Maghbooli M, Golipour F, Esfandabadi A, Yousefi M. Comparison between the efficacy of ginger and sumatriptan in the ablative treatment of the common migraine. Phytotherapy Res 2014;28:412-415

A few days ago, we posted a blog about the Saatchi Bill – the great step forward for medical innovation that would allow doctors to try new and radical treatments to save dying cancer patients without fear of legal repercussions. But on February 28th, we found that Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb has announced that his party will refuse to debate the bill when it comes up for debate in the House of Commons.

In the words of Lord Saatchi himself: “They have killed the Medical Innovation Bill. It is dead. By killing the Bill they have killed the hopes of thousands of cancer patients…It is as simple as that. Nick Clegg has handed down a death sentence to cancer patients. It is an extraordinary turn of events.”

This is a great blow to so many – to patients, to their families and to any of us who might find ourselves in the same unfortunate position. The Bill has gone through two years of close scrutiny and plenty of amendments and debate in the House of Lords. Lamb cites pressure from medical unions and patient organisations among his reasons for killing the bill. But instead of debating it in the precious amount of time left before Parliament goes on election break, the Lib Dems have chosen this utterly nonsensical route. And as a result, people will die.

Politics aside, we still hold out hope that the Bill will get another shot when MPs return from break. However, if there is a chance, it is a slim one. The Finchley Clinic will continue to back Lord Saatchi and his supporters’ honourable fight against undemocratic MPs, shady corporate practices and a medical world that runs on the fear of litigation. We know that dying patients will one day be given the ray of hope they desperately need.

The so-called Saatchi Bill passed the House of Lords last week – a ray of hope for cancer patients and pioneers of innovative medicine. After three years of revisions, amendments and debates, it’s ready to face the House of Commons. We can only hope that our MPs know that they hold in their hands a chance for a better life for thousands of British cancer sufferers.

Cancer treatment is a long, painful and sometimes futile road. On top of the agony of their disease, a patient currently faces gruelling months of harsh chemical treatments that weaken their immune system, isolate them from loved ones and ravage their bodies. For elderly patients, it’s often too much. Doctors and carers chirp that a patient’s best hope for recovery is a “positive attitude” – but that’s tough to maintain when your body and your world are falling apart around you.

The cancer treatments currently available are almost all in the same vein, but in laboratories and hospitals all over the world, a rebellion has long been brewing. The Medical Innovation Bill gives better legal protection to doctors who want to try new techniques on patients in desperate need. In a medical world where a patient’s health is often weighed against the risk of failure and legal action, it gives doctors the freedom to “treat outside the box.”

While this is great news for health advocates promoting alternative remedies as well as to patients unable to bear the pain and indignity of current treatments, the reality is that the Saatchi Bill might just be too little, too late. When unfamiliar treatments are combined with timid doctors, the outcome is that only the most hopeless cases are likely to reap any benefits from this bill. Experimental, radical treatments tend to be used as a last resort, on patients who have already been through gruelling rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy with no results.

The bill could give these patients another precious shot at life – however, their damaged state means the likelihood of any kind of successful treatment is extremely low. After disease and medicine alike take a toll on their bodies, they are often too weak to fight on. Those unsuccessful results could mean negative publicity for new and brilliant innovations, and patients in need will have fewer opportunities to take control of their cancer treatment.

We also still have the Cancer Act 1939 to contend with – a rather archaic piece of legislation which hasn’t been entirely repealed by the Saatchi Bill. The Act prohibits advertisements for cancer treatments, including offering advice and regardless of format. How can patients request a new remedy, or doctor’s find the answer to their prayers, when the entire industry is gagged?

Hurdles aside, this is still a great step forward for innovative treatments in the UK. It’s inspiring to see such progress being made despite often draconian EU laws governing alternative remedies. We can only hope that the benefits of this law go not just to ease the passing of critical patients, but to give a second chance to those who still have a hope of recovery.