After studying sinology and romance languages in Bochum and medicine in
Kiel, he received a Ph.D. in 1982 and later became a university
professor at the Witten/Herdecke University.
As he wrote several successful books such as "Mensch bleiben" (Stay
human, 2005) or "Lebe mit Herz und Seele" (Live with heart and soul,
2006) about more human therapies in medicine, he probably is Germany's
most popular medical doctor.
The German Center for Cancer Research, DKFZ, heavily criticized his
alternative methods and the way he "sells" himself in the media
(2006).