An inquest has revealed that a cancer patient may have died from a rare reaction to a herbal remedy he was taking alongside chemotherapy treatment. Haydn Owen Jones, who was in remission from multiple myeloma, began a third course of treatment in March 2022, which included chemotherapy drugs and a steroid.
He also consulted a herbalist and started taking a herbal remedy, which included ingredients like mistletoe, yarrow, lily of the valley, cat's claw, echinacea, and corn silk. Shortly after, he developed a fever, swelling, and a rash.
Despite treatment for sepsis, his liver function deteriorated, and he did not recover. The coroner concluded that it was probable that the combined effects of the herbal remedy and chemotherapy caused the liver damage that led to his death, highlighting the need for clearer advice to chemotherapy patients about herbal medicines.