Taufiq Khan: Footcare pioneer 8 March 1940–7 June 2007

Dr Taufiq Khan was since 1993 Hon. Director of Homeopathic Podiatry Services at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital. Taufiq's firsthand knowledge of the need for more effective treatments for foot problems when serving in the NHS was the driving force behind his pioneering research in plant-based medicine, resulting in his development of the specialty of Marigold Therapy and Homeopathic Podiatry.

Taufiq was born in 1940 in Aligarh, India. After partition of India, the Khan family moved to Pakistan in 1949. Taufiq continued his education in Karachi and qualified in homeopathic medicine, later moving to the UK to further his studies at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital (RLHH). A painful corn led him to seek the help of a chiropodist, which was to set him on the path for the next stage in what was to be his life's work. In 1970 he enrolled at The Chelsea School of Chiropody qualifying in 1973 as a state registered chiropodist.

Taufiq's convictions about the value of homeopathic medicine and its potential were lifelong as was his belief that modern scientific methods could and should be used in laboratory investigations of homeopathic drugs and their potencies. An indefatigable researcher, he presented papers at many conferences especially of the International Homeopathic Medical League. He received much encouragement and support from Dr John Raeside, Hon. Secretary to The Faculty of Homeopathy and Secretary of The Homeopathic Research and Educational Trust.

His particular, his familiarity with the healing power of the pot Marigold, Calendula officinalis, prompted him to investigate Marigold species of the Tagetes genus. Taufiq undertook his early research from 1980 to 1987 in the Marigold Research Clinic he established in London's St Pancras Hospital Department of Chiropody. Under the auspices of the charity The Marigold Trust which he had founded in 1989, he launched a Marigold Clinic at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital.

Demand and the clinic's success led to the RLHH establishing the first Department of Homeopathic Podiatry in a NHS hospital. Taufiq was appointed Director and was joined by his son Dr M Tariq Khan. Spurred on by the hospital's support for Marigold Therapy, Taufiq launched further research this time using randomised, controlled trials providing further evidence of the safety and efficacy of the integrated treatments for foot problems. In 1998 at the RLHH exhibition Sick feet and healing flowers, the event was opened by the Mayor of Camden.

Warm tribute was paid to Taufiq by Professor Peter Houghton, a pharmacognosist at King's College Department of Pharmacy, who said:

“What is known as orthodox science can have just as closed a mind to things it doesn’t quite at first understand as any other establishment regime. To convince the sceptics you have to present evidence based on their terms. Dr Khan has done just that. He has done properly conducted clinical trials with patients and the evidence is there that his treatments work. Ultimately that is what matters, especially if you are a patient.”

In November 2001 he was shortlisted out of 40 entrants nationwide for the Award for Good Practice of The Prince of Wales's Foundation for Integrated Health. He received his award from the Prince of Wales, Foundation President, at the Awards Ceremony held at the Royal Festival Hall. In May 2002 he received a Meritorious Award from the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists and in February 2003 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of Homeopathy. For his research on plant-based medicine he was elected a Fellow of The Linnean Society, a Fellow of the Institute of Biologists and in 2003 a Fellow of The Royal Society of Medicine. In November 2003 Lord Paul of Marylebone opened an event at the RLHH celebrating the successful first decade of the Marigold Clinic and Department of Homeopathic Podiatry.

In 2005 he was electioned to the Council of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. Sadly, due to the illness which eventually led to his passing, he was unable to take up his seat on the Council of his professional body. But his election to Council had demonstrated the reputation he had earned as a result of his dedicated work on behalf of suffering patients.