The book that asks: what if medicine has been getting it wrong for 200 years?
Uprooted Medicine traces how natural healing traditions were systematically sidelined — not because they failed patients, but because of politics, profit, and professional turf wars.
Written by a medical doctor and a medical herbalist who has long served as a dual practitioner, together with a researcher who is passionate about finding the answers.
★★★★★
Praised by herbalists, GPs, and integrative health practitioners
Presented at HerbFeast 2026 · Hometree Summer School · FMC Ireland Conference, Croke Park | Endorsed by leading voices in integrative medicine
ABOUT THE BOOK
Everything you need to know before you buy
WHAT IS THE BOOK ABOUT?
Uprooted Medicine is a rigorously researched, readable account of how natural and folk medicine traditions were systematically sidelined — not because they didn't work, but because of ideology, economics, and professional turf wars. It makes the case for a better way forward: collaborative medicine.
WHO IS THIS BOOK INTENDED FOR?
Anyone who has ever felt that conventional medicine didn't have all the answers — patients who want to understand their options, healthcare professionals curious about integrative approaches, and anyone interested in the politics behind what medicines we use.
WHY DOES THIS BOOK MATTER?
The story that pharmaceutical medicine replaced natural medicine because it worked better isn't the full picture. Understanding what was lost, and why, is the first step toward a healthcare system that puts patients first. This book gives you the evidence.
WHY TRUST THESE AUTHORS?
Dr. Clare is both a conventionally trained medical doctor and a qualified herbalist — a rare combination. She's been practising collaborative medicine since 1999, and is an Honorary Clinical Fellow at University College Galway. She writes from the inside, not the fringe. Tim Morrissey has worked in research for decades and has a passion for gaining deep and rigorous understanding of any topic he engages with.
MEET THE AUTHORS
Written by those who have lived it
Dr. Dílis Clare
MB, BCh, BSc (Medicine) · BSc (Herbal Medicine) · Honorary Clinical Fellow, UCG
Dr. Clare is one of the few practitioners in the world to hold full qualifications in both conventional medicine and herbal medicine. She trained at UCD Medical School and Middlesex University, and has been integrating both traditions in clinical practice since 1999 — long before "integrative medicine" became fashionable.
She founded Dr. Clare Apothecary in Galway and serves as an Honorary Clinical Fellow at University College Galway Medical School.
Tim Morrissey, PhD
PhD (Geology and Earth Science), University College Dublin · Book Consultant and Editor · Independent Researcher
Tim Morrissey is an independent researcher who has been involved in various book editing and cross disciplinary research. In later years his focus has been on history of plant medicine, associated scientific literature and pattern recognition. Tim brings PhD-level academic rigour to the research underpinning every claim in the book.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
Praised by practitioners, patients, and academics
★★★★★
"An important and highly readable book, which contains a wealth of historical detail backed by solid academic research and informed by decades of clinical practice. It shows convincingly that the story generally told about natural medicine has been largely an invention."
Adrian McDermott
Co-founder, Heartwood Professional Course in Herbal Medicine
★★★★★
Anita Ralph
MSc (Herb. Med.) FNIMH MCPPB
Consultant Medical Herbalist and co-author with Mary Tassell of the book Native Healers: Foundations in Western Herbal Medicine used by the Heartwood Foundation Course. Anita also contributed the herbal medicine chapter of the DK Natural Menopause book by Anne Henderson and published a prospective audit of menopause patients receiving herbal treatment in the Journal of Herbal Medicine in 2020.
“If you are intrigued by the title and contents of this book, prepare for it to exceed your expectations. ‘Uprooted Medicine’ is a meticulous critical analysis and historical context for current modern medical systems that, unlike many scholars and authors, avoids a blanket caricature of historical medicine that sidelines the efficacy of medicinal plants. Instead, it runs through with the warmth of real life herbal medicine patient stories and practice experiences from a doctor who works as a medical herbalist physician, and has been pleasantly surprised by this ancient and still very relevant health profession.”
★★★★★
“This is a huge, sweeping undertaking, accomplished with clarity, erudition, and deep, practical knowledge of our health systems (plural). I expect to see this on the required reading lists for all clinical herbal medicine degree courses, and our evolving conventional medicine schools would do well to put it on theirs.“
Anne Cheshire
BA(Hons), BSc (Hons), SEP, MNIMH
Director of the Trauma Recovery Clinic in Edinburgh, Scotland. Has specialised for the past 15 years in addressing: trauma; traumatic stress; post traumatic stress syndrome; other complex stress-related syndromes and immune system dysfunctions such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome; and all mind-body responses to emotional stress and physical trauma.
★★★★★
"A compelling and thoroughly researched challenge to the dominant narrative in modern healthcare. Dr. Clare brings a unique credibility — she knows both worlds from the inside, and this book reflects that depth of experience."
Garreth Falls
Consultant Medical Herbalist & Clinical Supervisor
★★★★★
"Essential reading for anyone in healthcare who wants to understand why integrative medicine matters — not just philosophically, but historically and scientifically. The kind of book that changes how you see your own profession."
A Healthcare Professional
Conference Attendee, HerbFeast 2026
★★★★★
Melanie Lynch
Award-winning Irish communicator, curator, and social innovator with almost 20 years experience in the arts, education, advertising, and non-profit sectors. She is the Founder of HerStory and Our Story. Melanie was celebrated in the Government of Ireland’s 21 Standout Women on International Women’s Day 2025. Melanie has a track record of delivering world class communications and pioneering programmes that open hearts and minds, resulting in lasting social change. From grassroots community engagement to platforming causes on the world stage, her work has been showcased at the United Nations, Council of Europe, US Congress, Irish Parliament, President of Ireland’s residence, and across the media in the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Washington Post, CNN, BBC, The Guardian, RTÉ, and all Irish media.
“Dr. Clare begins with a powerful, simple question: “Why did they not teach me about herbal medicines in medical school?” Uprooted Medicine is a brilliantly researched deep dive into collaborative medical history. I realise that as a non-medical reader, I have been waiting for this book for a long time. This is not just a standard history text; it offers a fresh and well-researched perspective. In partnership with Dr Tim Morrissey, the authors handle the subject with a collaborative and balanced outlook, acknowledging both the advances of modern medicine and the efficacy of traditional approaches. In doing so, they cross unexpected boundaries and link wide historical events in search of answers. They highlight medical advances, medical hubris and traditional medical approaches that genuinely stand the test of time.”
FREE DOWNLOAD
Read the Prefaces from Dr Dílis Clare and Tim Morrissey
Book review given by Garreth Falls,
Consultant Medical Herbalist, Clinical Supervisor, Theologian,
Social Entrepreneur, and political activist.
Published January 2026 on LinkedIn (link here)
UPCOMING EVENTS
Hear Dr. Clare and/or Tim Morrissey speak
- and get your copy signed
MAY
16
2026
HerbFeast - Professional Herbalist Conference
📍 Bellurgan Park, Carlingford Peninsula, Ireland
NOV
14-15
2026
FMC Ireland Conference
Lifestyle and Functional Medicine Conference
📍 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
....more to come!