The BC Humanist Association and Centre for Inquiry Canada have spoken out against events on Vancouver Island featuring alternative medicine proponent Brian Clement.
Clement has been widely criticized for reportedly claiming that after attending his clinic people have been cured of a wide range of conditions including multiple sclerosis. Last year, two Canadian aboriginal girls with leukemia abandoned their evidence based treatments in favour of Clement's treatments. One of the girls later died and the other was withdrawn from the clinic.
Clement was on Vancouver Island last week. One of his speeches to a Qualicum Beach elementary school was cancelled after the school spoke to CBC News.
In a statement to the Parksville Qualicum Beach News, BC Humanist Association Executive Director Ian Bushfield said:
Our concern is that any time public funds go to support unproven claims, especially ones related to medical health issues — including the reversal of MS — it’s not just giving people false hope, but it’s essentially scamming people out of money and taking advantage of people.
More information
Florida tells Brian Clement to stop practicing medicine - Jann Bellamy for Science Based Medicine