The health crisis has favored the emergence of new sectarian groups, which advocate inadequate care on social networks against Covid-19.
- Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, no less than 2,700 clinical trials of experimental treatments for covid-19 have been reported worldwide.
- But for the moment, there is not yet an effective, validated and approved specific treatment against the virus.
Since the start of the Covid-19 health crisis, more than 500 new small sectarian groups have been listed in France. “You have new gurus who are using the pandemic to preach so-called measures of well-being, but which are measures of psychological subjection, even the capture of money or goods”, denounced Tuesday April 6 on franceinfo Marlène Schiappa, Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Interior, in charge of Citizenship.
Reinforcement of Miviludes
To fight against the phenomenon, Marlène Schiappa announced that she was strengthening the means of the Interministerial Mission for Vigilance and the Fight against Sectarian Aberrations. “I am multiplying the resources of Miviludes by ten, they are now in the amount of 1 million euros to support associations in particular. It is not enough to get out of the grip of sectarian drift or sect. When we often come out of it, we have no more money, we no longer have friends and we are often in a state of health, in a deplorable psychological state. And so, there is also support for reintegration “, she explains.
Thierry Casasnovas, a naturopath followed by more than 500,000 people on Youtube, notably implied that Covid-19 could be treated with cold baths and carrot juice, which is totally false. Since July 2020, this anti-vaccine without any medical training has been under investigation for “endangering the life of others”, opened by the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office.
“Disinformation crosses borders”
Contaminated by Covid-19, American actress Gwyneth Paltrow also explained to her thousands of followers that she now practiced intermittent fasting to treat her persistent syndromes, and started a plant-based ketogenic diet. These whimsical advice to say the least annoyed Professor Stephen Powis, the head of the British public health service (National Health Service), who notably reminded the microphone of the BBC on Wednesday February 24 that the stars had a “duty of responsibility” especially when speaking out about such topics on social media.
“Like the virus, disinformation crosses borders, mutating and evolving. In recent days, I have seen Gwyneth Paltrow sadly suffering from the effects of Covid. We wish her well, but some of the solutions she recommends are not really the ones we would advocate within the NHS”warned Stephen Powis. “We must take the long version of Covid-19 seriously and apply serious science. All influencers who use social media have a duty of responsibility and a duty of care in this regard”, he added.
What to do before undertaking an unconventional treatment?
Beyond Covid-19, Marlène Schiappa warns of the fact that “new gurus are aimed a lot at cancer patients and pregnant women. There has been an overexposure of women to sectarian aberrations because there is also sexual predation, because they are overrepresented in people in of precariousness”.
Before undertaking unconventional care, you must inquire with the Ministry of Health, Miviludes and associations such as Unadfi or the Center against mental manipulation (CCMM). “It is human to look for alternatives in the face of the impotence of traditional medicine, but you have to be very vigilant”, explains Georges Fenech, honorary deputy, former examining magistrate and former President of the Interministerial Mission for Vigilance and the Fight against Sectarian Aberrations (Miviludes). “Several points should arouse suspicion. First, all alternative medicines that offer miraculous techniques are to be avoided. I am thinking, for example, of the transmission of energies or self-healing. The method of Access Bars Consciousness , very popular at the moment, is the perfect example of a “magic” approach to health problems, the effectiveness of which has not yet been demonstrated by any serious study.Next, all offers that have financial requirements must arouse mistrust”warns the author of the book Beware of the guruss (editions of the Rock).
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