By Neil Michael
Additional reporting by Conall Ó Fátharta
A cancer researcher and science writer has apologised to Vicky Phelan for a "thoughtless" and "ill-judged" tweet about the cancer patient advocate.
Dr David Robert Grimes, author of a book that explores medical misinformation and how trust in experts has fallen, labelled one of the cancer therapies she uses as "pseudo science’".
He referred to a "celebrity patient" and who he accused of spreading "misinformation" about hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
It’s a form of therapy that involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized room or chamber. It is an established treatment for decompression sickness and is also used to relieve the symptoms of serious infections, bubbles of air in the blood vessels.
According to the Mayo Clinic in the US, it is also used to help with wounds that won't heal as a result of injuries from radiation.
Mrs Phelan, who is dying of cancer and uses a range of treatments and therapies she finds suit her, has been using the therapy three days-a-week.
In May 2018, she told her Twitter followers, it "is helping in my fight against cancer".
However, Dr Grimes tweeted: “What's the correct etiquette for when a high profile national hero pushes dangerous pseudoscience? Asking for a friend (and) my sanity, as I would really prefer not to get the inevitable hate for calling it.”
An hour later, he tweeted: “... apropos of nothing, hyperbaric oxygen therapy should not be advocated for conditions for which it is devoid of efficacy, (and) comes with risk of harm. It is not certainly not a cancer treatment, & can cause active damage. Please take medical advice only from your physician.”
Far too draining dealing with that kind of negativity. I will be back in 2020 but for now I am taking a break.
His comments led to a lengthy exchange among those who support Mrs Phelan and those who used the opportunity to criticise her.
However, Dr Grimes has since apologised for the tweet saying that it was "ill-judged" and "thoughtless".
"Yesterday I tweeted something thoughtless, & hurt a passionate patient advocate. My remark was ill-judged, & I I apologise unreservedly to Vicky Phelan for any hurt I caused," he tweeted.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Ms Phelan said she is taking a break from Twitter but is "absolutely fine".
"Honestly. You know me - thick skinned! It has just been a week of it and I was going to come off Twitter anyway for a break over Christmas. I just decided after yesterday- enough was enough. Far too draining dealing with that kind of negativity. I will be back in 2020 but for now I am taking a break," she said.
