Queen's homeopathic doctor dies in collision with lorry while cycling in London

Dr Peter Fisher had been homeopathic physician to the Queen for about 15 years

A homeopath to the Queen has died in a collision with a lorry while cycling in London.

Dr Peter Fisher, 67, had served as homeopathic physician to the Queen for about 15 years. He was also the director of research at the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine, (RLHIM), formerly known as the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital.

Dr Fisher, from Highgate, north London, has become the eighth cyclist to die in road accidents in London this year and the fifth fatality from a collision involving a lorry.

Police said they were called to a collision between a lorry and a cyclist on High Holborn, central London, a short distance from the RLHIM, at about 9.30am on Wednesday.

Bystanders tried to give Dr Fisher CPR and paramedics also attended, but he was declared dead at the scene.

The lorry driver stopped at the scene in central London and no arrests have been made.

Dr Fisher with the Queen (Rex)

A graduate of Cambridge University and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Dr Fisher was also president of the Faculty of Homeopathy, a 900-member organisation which promotes the practice of the controversial complementary medicine.

Announcing the death, Greg White, chief executive of the Faculty of Homeopathy, said: "The Faculty has to announce, with great sadness, news of the death of Dr Peter Fisher in a road accident.

"It's no exaggeration to say Peter is an irreplaceable talent. He truly was a giant in all his fields of endeavour, which included clinician, researcher and academic.

"He was one of the world leaders in homeopathic research, and will be sorely missed not only by his family and UK friends and colleagues but around the whole world.”

Dr Fisher, a former Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist at King's College Hospital, had published numerous articles on rheumatology and on complementary and alternative medicine.

He chaired the World Health Organisation's working group on homeopathy and served on WHO's Expert Advisory Panel on Traditional and Complementary Medicine.

Dr Gill Gaskin, medical director of the specialist hospitals board of University College London Hospitals (UCLH), to which RLHIM is affiliated, said: "We are all deeply shocked and saddened to lose Dr Peter Fisher in such tragic circumstances.

"Peter was a highly regarded colleague and friend of many at the RLHIM, where he worked for more than 35 years.

"He was an international figure in homeopathy who was committed to holistic and compassionate care for his patients.

"He will be greatly missed by his colleagues and patients alike.

"Our deepest sympathies go out to Peter's family, friends and loved ones at this difficult time."

Homeopathy is based on a belief that “like cures like”, and that a substance that causes certain symptoms can also help remove those symptoms.

It often involves diluting a substance in water so many times that there is hardly a single molecule of it left. Many homeopaths support a “memory theory” that water is capable of storing information relating to substances with which it has previously been in contact.

Its advocates include Prince Charles, who has previously spoken of how he uses homeopathic treatment for his cattle and sheep.

Others, however, have accused homeopathy of being based on pseudoscience.

The NHS website states: “There's been extensive investigation of the effectiveness of homeopathy. There's no good-quality evidence that homeopathy is effective as a treatment for any health condition.”

In March it was announced that the RHLIM, which describes itself as the “largest public-sector provider of integrated medicine in Europe” would no longer be providing homeopathy on the NHS, although patients could pay for it privately.

The Metropolitan Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit is looking into Wednesday's incident and appealed for witnesses or anyone with information to contact police on 0208 991 9555 or via Twitter @MetCC quoting CAD 1899/15AUG.