The Church of Scientology has been moving through remote Australia on an indigenous recruitment drive. They are targeting alcohol-dependent Aboriginal people with a cure that could kill anyone with kidney disease. The NT Health Department had to step in and told the Scientologists to stop distributing literature that promotes a dangerous drug detoxification therapy.
Volunteer Scientologist Kevin Chapman and others have been operating from a tent in a public park in the middle of Tennant Creek, handing out leaflets headed 'Answers to Drugs'. They have also taken out full page newspaper ads with pictures of Aboriginal people sitting in the Todd River near Alice Springs, holding up Scientology brochures.
The detoxification program was developed by founder L Ron Hubbard and say it's the only successful drug and alcohol dependency treatment in the world. But the clinical nurse/manager at the Tennant Creek hospital this week advised the NT government that the treatment was dangerous and potentially fatal to renal patients, common in Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.
The pamphlet gives a formula for a high dose "drug bomb" vitamin supplement to supposedly break the drug dependency and recommends aluminium hydroxide tablets. It also includes a dangerous recipe to alleviate withdrawal symptoms. The Health Department believes the whole regime could be deadly to dialysis patients by causing hypophosphataemia - low phosphate levels in already weakened people.
National Scientology President Vicki Dunstan said "As soon as this matter was drawn to our attention, the person who handed out the leaflets was told to stop and they are now being collected back and any person who has a booklet is being informed that they should not use the calcium-magnesium drink without medical approval".
NT Health Minister Kon Vatskalis said the Scientology brochures were "utterly irresponsible".
No comments:
Post a Comment