Biomedical Treatment for autism to cease in Singapore
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Biomedical treatment for autism recently came under heavy criticism in two reports in The Straits Times: Autism 'cures': helpful or harmful? (11 August 2008) and Desperately seeking a cure (16 August 2008).
Earlier in the year, the Singapore Medical Council ordered doctors to stop using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and nutritional supplements - two key elements of the biomedical approach - for the treatment of autism.
It was reported in The Straits Times that the Ministry of Health has set up a committee to scrutinise alternative autism treatment and make recommendations to families. The chairperson of the committee has already called to question the safety of CFGC diets, health supplements and injections.
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We have rebutted the false ideas in the press reports about safety and evidence. We have written to The Straits Times but our letters have yet to be published.
Click here to read our reponses about
We know that some families have tried biomedical therapy and did not see sufficient progress to justify carrying on. That is normal, expected and understandable.
However, we also know that many families are doing very well and some children are essentially recovered and in mainstream schools. We are proud to have played a part in their recovery.
It is thus with great sadness that we have to announce our intention to voluntarily stop providing biomedical services to families in Singapore. Given the negative attitude of the government on almost everything that we do, we feel that it would be foolhardy for us to continue.
We want to make sure that families will have enough time to find alternative support should they wish to carry on with biomedical treatment.
We are calling a meeting to hear your feedbacks on how this is best done. The meeting details are:
Date: Sat 23 August 2008
Time: 10 am
Place: Autism Recovery Centre, Blk.1, Thomson Road, #03-342E
As we have limited seating capacity, please call us at Tel: 62536257 to confirm your attendance for the meeting.
Please note that our overseas patients will not be affected by this decision to stop biomedical treatment services in Singapore.
Kind regards
John Yeo.
19 August 2008.
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