The National Association 'Autism Kazakhstan' has called for stricter control over clinics and specialists who promise parents to 'cure' autism using unproven methods. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The organization's statement came amid news of the high-profile detention in Russia of Vasily Generalov, head of the PlanetMed clinic, where children with autism were offered treatment with antiparasitic drugs.
The association noted that Kazakhstani parents began massively sending links to media reports about the detention of a specialist seemingly unrelated to our country, asking for comments and assessment.
"In Kazakhstan, it is also necessary to introduce control and bring to responsibility the heads of similar clinics for misleading a large number of parents. Currently, in this area in Kazakhstan, unscrupulous clinics and people offering miraculous cures for autism using unproven methods are opening and operating with absolute impunity," the association said.
The association considers it necessary to strengthen control by the Ministry of Health and to amend the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan 'On People's Health and the Healthcare System' regarding relevant powers.
"That is, systemic measures are needed," the organization emphasized.
According to representatives of the association, they have been seeking the adoption of such measures since 2019 and intend to continue this work.
On August 15, a Moscow court arrested Vasily Generalov, director of PlanetMed. Another doctor detained in the case was placed under house arrest. The decision was made after numerous complaints from patients' parents.
According to the Russian Medvestnik, the clinic promised to 'cure' autism with enemas, antiparasitic courses, hormones, and stem cells. Parents claim that after such therapy, the children's condition worsened, and the cost of treatment amounted to millions of rubles.
The day before, searches were conducted at the medical facility. Russian media reported that investigators are establishing the circumstances of medical care provided to patients and possible harm to their health.
According to Ren-TV, preliminary data suggests the number of victims may exceed 500 people. Patients' parents repeatedly complained about the clinic's work and the methods used there.
Now investigators must determine the circle of victims, the circumstances of what happened, and the possible amount of damage.
Earlier, Kursiv wrote about how a child with autism from Kazakhstan died after questionable treatment in Tashkent.
After that, the Autism Kazakhstan association addressed parents, reminding them that neurologists, nutritionists, massage therapists, osteopaths, integrative medicine doctors, psychologists, and other specialists cannot cure autism. The diagnosis is made only by a child psychiatrist, and there is currently no cure for this condition in the world. All so-called 'treatment protocols' without an evidence base are a risk to the child's health and life.
And the day before, the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Control of the Republic of Kazakhstan shared the results of a WHO review over the past 15 years, stating that vaccines and thiomersal do not increase the risk of developing autism spectrum disorders in children.
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