2023-06-28 10:11:00
“They are called ‘traditional medicine’, ‘alternative medicine’, ‘complementary medicine’, ‘natural medicine’ or even ‘alternative medicine’ whereasthey are not scientifically recognizedby conventional medicine and do not belong to the initial training of doctors”denounces the Order of Physicians in a report published on June 27, 2023, on Unconventional Care Practices (PSCN). “It is urgent that the supervision and control of these practices be put in place in order to limit the dangers that patients, who are often ignorant and far too often abused, may encounter”, specifies the document.
Indeed, for several years, PSNCs have developed, especially Covid-19. “The Order of Physicians has been in great demand on this subject for years, but it has really increased since the Covid”, explained to AFP Dr Claire Siret, in charge of the file within the Order.
As a reminder, these care methods “are not nor recognizedscientifically, by conventional medicine, nor taught during the initial training of health professionals”insists in its report the College of Physicians.
Among the Unconventional Care Practices listed by the institute, we can mention:
In their report, the College of Physicians reveals that nearly 400 CNHPs have been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO). Moreover, according to Quotidien du Médecin.fr, 71% of French would have already resorted to one of these practices.
A survey carried out by Odoxa, for the National Union of Associations for the Defense of Families and the Individual (Unadfien) last May, even indicated that almost half of French people (51%) use NSPs. A booming practice that alarms the organization.
How to explain the expansion of Unconventional Care Practices?
According to this report published by the Order of Physicians, several reasons could explain why more and more people are using NHPs. “This can be explained by the fact that conventional treatments require, in order to be effective and safe, the application of rigorous care protocols, which can give the patient the feeling of receiving standardized care, not personalized”, he reports. “Treatments dispensed within the framework of the PSNC appear more personalized (…).”
On the other hand, their rise could also be a consequence of medical deserts which affect a large part of France. As a reminder, France has significant inequalities in the distribution of doctors across the country. “72.2% of the population lives in an area with a shortage of general practitioners. This difficulty is all the more significant as the health needs of the population tend to increase”, informed the Senate during the bill aimed at restoring territorial equity in the face of medical deserts and guaranteeing access to health for all, filed on November 30, 2022.
This progression can find its origin (…) in the influence of the health crisis and the current context, the ‘organic’ movement and the offer of well-being and personal development training, declares the Order of Physicians in its report published on June 27, 2023.
Another element put forward by the organization: the media frenzy during the health crisis. “The speeches of ‘self-proclaimed Covid-19 experts’ and scientists with contradictory positions, and the uncertainty around the evolution of this pandemic (…) has contributed to a certain mistrust of the population towards conventional medicinethus encouraging the attraction and diversion of certain patients towards the NHPs”, he explains.
The notoriety of organic products would also be one of the reasons why Unconventional Care Practices have become so popular. “The PSNCs are surfing the organic waveon the return to nature, thus being able to bring people to a refusal of allopathic medicine in favor of more ‘natural’ techniques”continues the institution in its report.
What are the dangers of these alternative medicines?
If these practices continue to be unregulated, the College of Physicians fears three major consequences:
And illegal practice of medicine ;THE therapeutic excesses ;THE sectarian excessessince this drift presents the characteristics of a mental influence.
“If everyone is free to take charge of their health and well-being, this free choice must be informed and exercised with full knowledge of the facts”he believes.
Illegal practice of medicine
“Therapist”, “practitioner” or even “coach”… Are these certifications used rightly while the PSNC are not recognized by medicine?
“It should be remembered that only the health professions have the right of advice and some of them of prescription, whether the drug is over-the-counter or requires a prescription to be presented to the pharmacist,” the organization reveals. “For example, some self-proclaimed therapists believe they are entitled to offer homeopathic treatmentsinsofar as these drugs are no longer covered by health insurance”, she continues.
Or, “a homeopathic medicine can also contain several principles.“It is for this reason that only health professionals can prescribe and advise homeopathy.
In other words, the proliferation of PSNC “allows practitioners to protect themselves against the risk of seeing their practices characterized as the illegal practice of medicine”, while promising their patient to bring therapeutic effects.
Therapeutic excesses
Loss of chance, endangerment of the person, abuse of weakness, fraud… If you face these characteristics, we then speak of therapeutic drift. But beware: it is not mandatory to combine all these attributes to be able to speak of therapeutic drift.
“An Unconventional Care Practice Becomes a Therapeutic Drift when it endangers patientsbecause it is not scientifically validated and/or because it is proposed as a replacement for conventional medicine”indicates in its report the College of Physicians.
Namely that anyone, health professionals or not, can be blamed for the practice of therapeutic drifts. “This concerns anyone who misuses these PSNCs.”
Sectarian excesses
The last consequence raised by the organization corresponds to the sectarian excesses. It is a “deviation of the freedom of thought, opinion or religion which undermines public order, laws or regulations, fundamental rights, the security or integrity of persons It is characterized by Implementationby an organized group or by an isolated individual, whatever its nature or activity, pressure or techniques intended to create, maintain or exploit in a person a state of psychological or physical subjectiondepriving him of part of his free will, with harmful consequences for this person, his entourage or for society”, recalls the Miviludes (Interministerial Mission of vigilance and fight against sectarian aberrations).
Or, the field of health and well-being is known to be a breeding ground for sectarian movements. Be careful all the same: not all therapeutic excesses are sectarian, even if they endanger patients.
“On the other hand, when these ‘therapies’ seek to make the patient adhere to a new way of thinking or beliefwe must be wary, because the indoctrination happens gradually”, explains the institution in its report.
How to recognize a sectarian drift?
According to MIVILUDES, three phases are to be identified to recognize a sectarian phenomenon:
The approach phase: promise of healing and/or comfort, positive word-of-mouth, on the Internet or on the public highway…; The seduction phase: meeting with people supposedly cured, invitations, highlighting personalities who are followers of the method…; The submission phase: threat of aggravation of the disease if the patient does not follow the indicated treatment, financial demands going as far as indebtedness, geographical uprooting, etc.
To precisely avoid this threat and limit the risks of being drawn into a sectarian aberration, “it is important to educate patients emphasizing several key points: the concept of ‘miraculous processes‘, prices and the prices of services are often exorbitant, misinformation from medical teamswith a desire to isolate patients or even denigration of conventional treatmentsin order to create doubt.
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