‘Alternative Medicine’: College of Physicians Warns of Therapeutic, Even ‘Sectarian’ Abuses

They are becoming more and more popular, but require a certain amount of distrust. Aromatherapy, kinesiology, lithotherapy… Unconventional care methods are in full swing and are uncontrolled and uncontrolled, denounces the Order of Physicians in a report released Tuesday.

“Today, with the supply of NHP (non-traditional care practices) exponentially, it is necessary to sort out practices that are hazardous to patient health and those that may be of interest in patient support, and limit them to the single area of ​​well-being,” Order explains.

According to a survey conducted by Odoxa for Unadfi (National Union of Associations for the Defense of the Family and the Individual) in May, 51% of French people resort to NCPs related to manual manipulations (such as kinesiology or chiropractic), 48% to “traditional medicine” (such as homeopathy, “traditional Chinese medicine” or banks), 45% for plants and 39% for “energy”.

Non-Traditional Practices Oversight Committee

However, the Order recalls that PSNCs “are not scientifically recognized as conventional medicine and are not taught during initial medical training.” This lack of oversight creates dangerous situations for people who resort to it: the Order mentions the “illegal medical practices” of some medical practitioners, “therapeutic drifts” that can, among other things, lead to the termination of treatment and loss of opportunities. for sick people, or even “sectarian deviations”.

On this last point, the Order cites Miviludes, the inter-ministerial mission responsible for combating sectarian deviations, according to which 70% of the reports received in the field of health relate to non-traditional therapies. “The Order of Physicians has been in high demand with regards to the PSNC for years, but it has really increased since Covid,” Dr. Claire Siret, who is in charge of cases at the Order, told AFP. The document is supposed to “raise the awareness of healthcare professionals about these methods,” she insists.

Dr. Siret is particularly concerned about “the introductory nature of some practices at the university” and also wants to ask the deans of the faculties about offering, in addition to the medical fields, “a university degree in anthroposophic medicine” (not scientifically confirmed). This report comes ahead of the first meeting of the Non-Traditional Health Practices Surveillance Support Committee (PNCS), under the auspices of the Ministries of Health and the Interior, which will include participation from health authorities such as the Medicines Agency. , Miviludes or the No Fake Med collective.