Naturopathy or naturopathic medicine is a form of pseudoscientific, alternative medicine that employs an array of practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", and as promoting "self-healing." The ideology and methods of naturopathy are based on vitalism and folk medicine rather than evidence-based medicine. Naturopathic practitioners generally recommend against modern medical practices, including but not limited to medical testing, drugs, vaccinations, and surgery.
Britt Marie Hermes is an American former naturopathic doctor who became a critic of naturopathy and alternative medicine. She is the author of a blog, Naturopathic Diaries, where she writes about being trained and having practiced as a licensed naturopath and about the problems with naturopaths as medical practitioners. By writing her blog, she is trying to inform and educate people about naturopathy. Hermes calls it a fake medicine.
Hermes trained at Bastyr University. For example, she said about Bastyr University’s methods of treatments: “Bastyr has a closed database of medical conditions and how they are treated with such esoteric therapies, usually without regard for medical standards of care.”
Bastyr argues that it’s not true - “FACT: Students at Bastyr compile their class notes online, discussing medical conditions and treatments. Bastyr faculty teach students the medical standards of care, and clinical faculty apply those standards in clinics.”
Another example – “Bastyr promotes anti-vaccination treatments.” They responded, “FACT: Bastyr teaches its Naturopathic Medicine students the vaccination schedules published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and supports the important preventative medicine that vaccines offer.” The problem is that their bookstore is selling a product that promotes alternatives to vaccines.
She wrote in one of her latest blogs:
“In fact, at the same time as NECSS, an international group of naturopaths met in London to exchange ideas ranging from intravenous baking soda for cancer and other alternative medicine notions like “liver stagnation” and “detoxification.” Naturopaths try to seem legitimate, despite their nonsense.
Certification will give naturopaths a scope of practice that will make them dangerous. They will be able to diagnose and treat disease, recommend and sell supplements directly to patients, order diagnostic tests, and administer substances rectally, orally, and vaginally.”
In a letter Bastyr’s lawyer sent to Hermes, the University is calling Hermes’ statement false and defamatory: “Because your statements are false and affect Bastyr’s professional reputation by falsely stating and publishing to third parties that, among other things, Bastyr engages in “pseudoscience” and “quackery”, your statements constitute, among other claims, defamation per se, and entitle Bastyr to punitive damages. Under Washington law, it is unlawful to engage in defamation of another’s character and reputation. Defamation consists of: (1) a defamatory statement; (2) published to a third party; and (3) which the speaker or publisher knew or should have known was false.”
“Each of the foregoing statements found on your Naturopathic Diaries website is blatantly false and provided with the express intent of disparaging Bastyr,” they added in the letter.
Hermes is currently consulting with First Amendment attorney Marc Randazza to develop an appropriate response to these allegations.
Photo Credits: Naturophaticdiaries.com
