Hundreds of free appointments with naturopaths have been booked through Woolworths subsidiary HealthyLife, as peak health bodies warn people are forgoing more expensive, evidence-based care due to the cost-of-living crisis.
In March HealthyLife launched telehealth consultations with general practitioners, dieticians, nutritionists and in-house naturopaths, alongside home delivery of pharmaceutical products through its partner SuperPharmacy.
While the 30-minute consultation with accredited dietitians or nutritionists cost $115 and the 15-minute GP consultations $45, the 15-minute “discovery call” with a naturopath is free.
A HealthyLife spokesperson told Guardian Australia “customers have completed hundreds of discovery calls with our in-house naturopaths since we launched our telehealth offering”.
“Our 15-minute naturopath discovery calls are designed to be an introduction to a naturopath, to explain how they might be of assistance to that person’s health journey and not intended to be a full clinical consultation.”
Naturopathy is an alternative practice based on the premise that diseases can be successfully treated or prevented without reliance on conventional medicine. Some therapies that fall under the naturopathy umbrella, such as iridology and homeopathy, have no evidence for their effectiveness. Other aspects of naturopathy, such as diet and exercise, have an evidence base.
On its website, HealthyLife provides the caveat that “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 GP.”
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”.
“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,” she said.
Prof Peter Brooks, from University of Melbourne’s school of population and global health, said he was concerned health consumers seeking naturopathy consultations could be given advice without any scientific basis.
“The problem with naturopathy is that one of the most important things that we push in healthcare is we want evidence-based healthcare,” he said.
Brooks said delayed diagnosis was a particularly dangerous outcome of seeking non-evidence-based health practices, including naturopathy. Cancer, which can start with relatively mild symptoms, can get to the stage where it has metastasised, making treatment more difficult, Brooks said.
The president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Dr Nicole Higgins, said people turning to Woolworths’ free naturopath appointments was part of a concerning trend where the rising cost of living is changing consumer health-seeking behaviour, turning them towards more convenient and cheaper “McMedicine”.
However, Higgins cautioned, “we need to think about why Woolworths would step into this type of model and that’s because of profit”.
“The free naturopath visit – they’ve got 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.
“We need to make sure that we have a safe, quality, evidence-based and accessible healthcare system for all Australians.”
Testimonies on HealthyLife’s website from people who took up the consultations with naturopaths suggest some were recommended products, including supplements. A testimonial on the website from “Cristie O” said she was “really happy with the supplement they recommended me. Love!” A testimonial from “Mary M” said she received diet suggestions and natural remedies for her condition.
The website also states “whether you’re looking for healthy eating advice, a bit of guidance on where to turn for health information or how to choose the right product, vitamin or supplement we’re here to help”.
While people with deficiencies and certain medical conditions and pregnant women benefit from vitamins, they are frequently misused and taken without advice from a doctor and for most of the population, they offer no benefit.
Earlier this week, Woolworths’ net profit increased by 4.6% to $1.62bn for the full financial year.
Jon Wardle, a professor of public health and the director of the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine at Southern Cross University, said data out of Brazil, Canada and Germany showed naturopathy can be cost effective when it is focused on health promotion and dietary and lifestyle interventions, but he was concerned by the vertical integration of 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,” he said.
“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.”
A HealthyLife spokesperson told Guardian Australia that its in-house health professionals provide independent advice. “They do not have product sales targets, nor do they receive commission from product sales,” they said.
The spokesperson said general practice telehealth consultations have proven the most popular service chosen by patients with “thousands of customers booking a telehealth appointment with an Australian registered doctor.”
Have you had to change the type of healthcare you receive because of cost of living? Share your experience with natasha.may@theguardian.com
