The aim of this paper is to examine if the "medical laws" found by the German physician Ryke Geerd Hamer are substantiated by contemporary holistic medical theory. He developed a psychosomatic theory after a personal emotional
trauma that he believed resulted in his subsequent development of a
testicular cancer. From our analysis, it is clear that the two most fundamental principles of Hamer's work, the psychosomatic "
iron law of
cancer" (Hamer's first "law") and the principle of pathogenesis being reversed into salutogenesis (Hamer's second "law"), are well-established principles of
holistic medicine today. Hamer's understanding of symbols in medicine, virus and bacteria, and the evolutionary process itself (Hamer's third, fourth, and fifth "law") differs a great deal from both traditional and contemporary holistic medical theory and we did not find them substantiated. Hamer's understanding of
cancer metastasis was built on these failing principles and therefore not substantiated either. Altogether, it seems that Hamer's thinking was basically sound as the most fundamental principles of his work were built on an understanding very similar to holistic medical thinkers of today. We found his postulate that metastatic
cancer patients can be healed or their health improved by using his system of
holistic medicine likely to be true, at least for some motivated patients. This must be tested scientifically, however, before being accepted. His presentation of his system and work has been idiosyncratic and highly provocative, which has alienated him from the whole medical community.