The Fiji Cancer Society is calling for more research to be conducted on those who carry out herbal or traditional treatment of patients.

Chief Executive, Belinda Chan says many patients diagnosed with cancer end up at the hospital for treatment after seeking help from healers for a long period of time.

Chan says it’s been found that some healers leave cancer patients more vulnerable.

“Guaranteed a few months down the line they’ll be back looking for help. There’s a lot of things that entails in going traditional or going herbal but some of these healers are not doing it completely seeing it through so definitely need research to be conducted in this area.”

The CEO says people are more comfortable going to healers despite there not being any scientific study or proof on the treatment.

“There is no scientific evidence or research conducted with those that are providing traditional healing here in Fiji to say that yes these are the medicines that have worked for this particular person who had this particular cancer.”

Meanwhile, the youngest patient currently registered with the Society is an 18-year-old.