Medical marvel: Though no vaccine exists, IIU permits distribution anyway
Homeopath allowed without background verification, administers untested vaccine on students and staff.
ISLAMABAD:
While the government is working to ban misleading and hazardous health advertisements on TV channels, Islamic International University (IIU) went about inviting people with unheard of cures for deadly diseases to ‘create awareness’ on campus.
According to the university press release, during a recent dengue awareness and vaccination campaign at the campus, Dr Asghar Ali Shah, a consultant and a homeopathic physician, claimed to have invented a number of preventive vaccines to fight various diseases including dengue and he had delivered a lecture on dengue fever, preventive measures and remedies. However, no vaccine for the dengue virus exists.
A few days back, on the directives of the prime minister, Pemra imposed a ban on airing unethical medical advertisements on TV channels, a step that was hailed by professionals and authentic medical institutions and personalities.
IIU Student Adviser Dr Safeer Awan had arranged the event, and the physician administered ‘anti-dengue vaccines’ to more than 700 students.
Dr Awan had an unusual reason for inviting Dr Shah, saying that, “Dr Shah had given some homeopathic medicines to my relatives which proved fruitful, which is why I brought him to the university to conduct the awareness campaign.”
However, Dr Awan had no satisfactory argument when asked about the expertise of the physician, his qualification and the authenticity of the medication he had given to over 700 people.
Sources said that the physician wanted personal projection to capitalise on the fear of dengue among the public and needed such a platform, which is why he approached senior IIU officials on the basis of personal relationships.
However, the university administration seems to have ignored the sensitivity of the issue and not only invited him, but also allowed him to administer the dubious vaccines to over 700 students and employees.
When The Express Tribune contacted Dr Asghar, he claimed to have been practicing as a homeopathic physician for many years had given the same medicine to half a dozen dengue patients last year with positive results.
He also claimed to have a degree in homeopathic medicine and good experience in the field.
When asked about the authenticity of his ‘vaccines’, he said that it did not need to be authenticated by any modern laboratory as homeopathy has been used for centuries.
According to the university press release, Dr Shah given a lecture in which he stated that dengue fever is highly dangerous for those who have weak immune systems. He said that the dengue virus is very easily treatable using special treatment measures.
The press statement stated that at the end of the seminar, free vaccines were administered to 700 persons, while Principal Librarian Muhammad Rafique Choudhry presented a university crest to Dr Asghar Asli (sic) Shah on the occasion.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 30th, 2011.
While the government is working to ban misleading and hazardous health advertisements on TV channels, Islamic International University (IIU) went about inviting people with unheard of cures for deadly diseases to ‘create awareness’ on campus.
According to the university press release, during a recent dengue awareness and vaccination campaign at the campus, Dr Asghar Ali Shah, a consultant and a homeopathic physician, claimed to have invented a number of preventive vaccines to fight various diseases including dengue and he had delivered a lecture on dengue fever, preventive measures and remedies. However, no vaccine for the dengue virus exists.
A few days back, on the directives of the prime minister, Pemra imposed a ban on airing unethical medical advertisements on TV channels, a step that was hailed by professionals and authentic medical institutions and personalities.
IIU Student Adviser Dr Safeer Awan had arranged the event, and the physician administered ‘anti-dengue vaccines’ to more than 700 students.
Dr Awan had an unusual reason for inviting Dr Shah, saying that, “Dr Shah had given some homeopathic medicines to my relatives which proved fruitful, which is why I brought him to the university to conduct the awareness campaign.”
However, Dr Awan had no satisfactory argument when asked about the expertise of the physician, his qualification and the authenticity of the medication he had given to over 700 people.
Sources said that the physician wanted personal projection to capitalise on the fear of dengue among the public and needed such a platform, which is why he approached senior IIU officials on the basis of personal relationships.
However, the university administration seems to have ignored the sensitivity of the issue and not only invited him, but also allowed him to administer the dubious vaccines to over 700 students and employees.
When The Express Tribune contacted Dr Asghar, he claimed to have been practicing as a homeopathic physician for many years had given the same medicine to half a dozen dengue patients last year with positive results.
He also claimed to have a degree in homeopathic medicine and good experience in the field.
When asked about the authenticity of his ‘vaccines’, he said that it did not need to be authenticated by any modern laboratory as homeopathy has been used for centuries.
According to the university press release, Dr Shah given a lecture in which he stated that dengue fever is highly dangerous for those who have weak immune systems. He said that the dengue virus is very easily treatable using special treatment measures.
The press statement stated that at the end of the seminar, free vaccines were administered to 700 persons, while Principal Librarian Muhammad Rafique Choudhry presented a university crest to Dr Asghar Asli (sic) Shah on the occasion.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 30th, 2011.