Story By: Koen Berghuis, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: CEN

A cancer patient who feared chemotherapy would poison her died after an ‘alternative practitioner allegedly gave her a mega dose of toxic acid – and the tragic woman’s husband does not blame him.

The 43-year-old Dutch woman, identified by her first name Joke, was reportedly one of three people who died in July 2013 after being treated by German natural healer Klaus Ross at his clinic in the western German town of Brueggen.

Another 43-year-old Dutch woman and a 55-year-old man from Belgium also died after undergoing treatment, according to local media.

Pictures Credit: CEN

Ross is currently on trial in the city of Krefeld after being charged with involuntary homicide, for which he could be sentenced to five years in prison.

The German natural healer reportedly treated cancer patients with Bromopyruvic acid, a substance which is said to kill cancer cells but is also described by doctors as “potentially highly poisonous” and “not yet fully researched”.

According to the prosecutors, he used inadequate scales to determine the right dose and the victims received between three to six times too much.

Chief prosecutor Axel Stahl said: “In large hospital pharmacies, it is common for such applications to always have two sets of eyes checking things when weighing. The alternative practitioner failed in this regard.”

Joke’s husband Andre, 46, testified in court that his wife was in the early stages of cancer treatment when they decided to seek alternative methods.

He said: “Joke did not want chemotherapy, she was convinced of that. She saw chemotherapy as poisonous. Loss of hair, severe suffering, she had seen it all before with friends and family.”

According to Andre, his wife also refused radiation and hormone therapy.

They came across Klaus Ross’ website, where a 10-week course of “biological treatment” costs patients almost 10,000 EUR (8,585 GBP).

Klaus Ross, a technician who used to sell medical appliances, was schooled as an alternative biological healer and had a licence to administer injections and intravenous therapy (IV).

In Germany, laws surrounding alternative treatments are considered more relaxed than in the Netherlands and Belgium which meant that Ross could call himself an ‘alternative practitioner’ and open up a clinic.

Andre told the court they had faith in the practitioner as they believed he was working solely with “biological products” such as curcumin, calcium and other vitamins, as well as Bromopyruvic acid which Ross reportedly injected into his patient’s veins.

He said he was not aware that ‘alternative practitioners’ like Ross are not fully trained like hospital doctors.

Andre said that he thought the only difference between them was that “one works with natural substances, the other with chemicals”.

Even though Bromopyruvic acid is not a natural substance and has yet to go beyond animal testing, the couple agreed to go ahead with the treatment, according to reports.

After two days, Joke reacted normally to the treatment, but when they returned to the clinic the following day, Andre said that his wife appeared like she was drunk.

Nonetheless, the German practitioner finished the treatment using other substances.

When they returned home, Joke’s condition deteriorated further and Andre rushed her to a nearby hospital. His wife died a few days later from massive brain damage.

However, Andre does not believe that Ross had any bad intentions and told the court he does not blame him.

However, he added: “Although, I do think that he should have advised us to go immediately to hospital.”

The trial continues.