Autism lasers
And finally to Nine News and the promise of a medical wonder:
MIA GLOVER: Dozens of Queenslanders living with autism spectrum disorder are finding their voices thanks to ground-breaking technology treating the brain
.- Nine News (Brisbane), 28 July, 2024
Two weeks ago, Nine’s Queensland viewers were told about the work of Dr Genevieve Dharamaraj, who claims to have great news for people with autism:
CLARE TODHUNTER: After intensive sessions using new digital therapies under the supervision of Brisbane’s Dr Genevieve Dharamaraj, Hayloe-Lee is now one of 33 patients to turn verbal.
- Nine News (Brisbane), 28 July, 2024
Yes, red lasers from something that looks like Dr Who's sonic screwdriver, pointed at a child’s head, somehow bringing speech to the non verbal.
With Dr Dharamaraj’s Brisbane clinic, Nurturing Brain Potential, sharing a handy diagram on Facebook of how the technology works.
And Dr D wasn’t just popping up on Nine. She was also selling the ‘cutting-edge’ technology on Nine’s Radio 4BC, telling Peter Fegan the technology:
DR GENEVIEVE DHARAMARAJ: … it’s basically building new pathways in the brain. And we can do that with cutting-edge technology like photobiomodulation, which is lasers, use Neurosage digital technology …
- Weekends with Peter Fegan, 4BC, 21 July, 2024
And on Seven’s Sunrise, the onscreen graphics told us about the ‘LASER THERAPY WONDERS’ and how ‘light and laser activates the brain and body’s healing capabilities’.
With the doctor going on to tell Sunrise viewers too about that incredible tech:
DR GENEVIEVE DHARAMARAJ: The things that we’re using as well are cutting-edge technology like photobiomodulation and we’re stimulating the brain …
- Weekend Sunrise, Seven Network, 6 July, 2024
So who is Dr Dharamaraj?
A leading expert on the brain, autism and neuroscience? Ah, no.
She’s a chiropractor, something that Nine, Seven and 4BC forgot to tell their audience.
But Nine at least did have a ‘leading international health specialist’, to back her up, explaining:
DR KYLE DAIGLE: Once we find the area of the brain that’s weak we stimulate these areas and basically build up these networks.
- Nine News (Brisbane), 28 July, 2024
And is he an expert in autism, the brain and neuroscience?
Ah no. Dr Kyle Daigle is also a chiropractor.
And he’s co-founder of the biotech company that sells that incredible fancy laser wand for upwards of US$8,000 a pop.
Nine didn’t make that clear either.
So, should parents be trusting Dr Dharamaraj and Dr Daigle to reprogram their kids’ brains?
To cut to the chase, I don’t think so.
Dr Dharamaraj’s website says her treatment is based on the ‘Melillo Method’, developed by another US chiropractor, in fact called Robert Melillo, whose ‘Brain Balance’ treatments have been described by the Association for Science Autism Treatment as lacking ‘sufficient empirical evidence’ and ‘pseudoscientific’.
And in 2019 an investigation by NBC News reached a similar conclusion:
DR JILL EMANUELE: This is not mainstream science.
REPORTER: Dr Jill Emanuele is a psychologist with the Child Mind Institute. We asked her and seven other scientists to review Brain Balance’s claims on their website. All were sceptical.
- NBC, 21 December, 2019
And Media Watch got a similar reaction from Australian autism experts when we asked about the technology used and claims made by Dr D.
With Andrew Whitehouse, a professor of autism research at the Telethon Kids Institute, telling us:
There is no credible science that demonstrates any clinical effect of red light/laser ‘therapy’ in supporting autistic children and their families.
- Email, Prof Andrew Whitehouse, Professor of Autism Research, Telethon Kids Institute, 9 August, 2024
And he was also scathing of Nine, saying stories like these are not victimless:
These stories have enormous human cost. They keep parents up at night wondering should they give these unproven therapies a go.
- Email, Prof Andrew Whitehouse, Professor of Autism Research, Telethon Kids Institute, 9 August, 2024
We asked Nine why they failed to provide any such caveats to viewers.
Nine didn’t answer any of our questions, but instead told Media Watch:
The story related to a conference in Brisbane … which presented a range of different treatments … Our story related to one of those treatments which had success.
- Email, Nine spokesperson, 12 August, 2024
We also put those accusations to Dr Genevieve Dharamaraj. She sent us a list of research papers and told Media Watch:
We are firmly rejecting these claims. We have successfully witnessed the journey of over 30 clients to date.
We take aversions against our business very seriously. Please be careful with how you proceed.
- Email, Dr Genevieve Dharamaraj, Nurturing Brain Potential, 11 August, 2024
Oh, we always are. And when the media are spruiking supposed ‘game changing therapies’ like this, they need to be careful too.