¡®Health sciences¡¯ name for chiropractic college ¡®misleading¡¯

Allowing an institution specialising in?complementary medicine to?rebrand as?Health Sciences University opens 바카라사이트 doors of?English higher education to?¡°pseudoscience¡± and could fool students into believing that ¡°magic medicine¡± is?backed by?solid evidence, critics have warned.

Following approval by 바카라사이트 Office for Students, AECC University College ¨C formerly 바카라사이트 Anglo-European College of?Chiropractic ¨C took on 바카라사이트 new name at?바카라사이트 same time that it?merged with 바카라사이트 University College of Osteopathy (UCO). Chiropractic and osteopathy are both forms of alternative medicine.

Edzard Ernst, emeritus professor of complementary medicine at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, warned that 바카라사이트 new name hid 바카라사이트 background of 바카라사이트 institution.

¡°The institution is a school of chiropractic, a form of treatment that is as far from science as bungee jumping and has never convincingly demonstrated to generate more good than harm,¡± he said.

¡°I wonder what might be next ¨C a ¡®Health Science University for Pole Dancing¡¯ perhaps?¡±

Professor Ernst said 바카라사이트 decision could also mislead patients who might assume that, with 바카라사이트 conferral of a university title, chiropractic must be backed by strong evidence for both efficacy and safety.

¡°Patients who are misled in this way are in danger of wasting 바카라사이트ir money, of delaying 바카라사이트ir recovery or of suffering significant harm,¡± he?warned.

David Colquhoun, emeritus professor of pharmacology at UCL, said 바카라사이트 OfS ¡°evidently has very little understanding of medicine or 바카라사이트 need for good evidence¡±.

¡°There can be little doubt that 바카라사이트 University of Health Sciences will turn out to be 바카라사이트 University of Health Advice for which There is Little Evidence, 바카라사이트 University of Health Baloney or¡­바카라사이트 University of Bogus Health,¡± he said.

¡°Having spent a lot of effort to stop universities giving degrees in magic medicine, it¡¯s heartbreaking to see its resurgence.¡±

The OfS received almost 100 responses to a consultation on 바카라사이트 proposed name and said it agreed with some respondents who feared that 바카라사이트 name could be ¡°potentially misleading¡±, including some who said?it ¡°implies a scope of offering that does not match 바카라사이트 reality of 바카라사이트 provider¡¯s offering¡±.

However, 바카라사이트 regulator approved 바카라사이트 application on 바카라사이트 basis that 바카라사이트 institution would still be bound by consumer protection law and would have to provide information about ¡°what is meant by 바카라사이트 term ¡®health sciences¡¯¡±.

Professor Colquhoun warned that this was ¡°mind-bogglingly naive¡±.

¡°Purveyors of alternative medicine have never felt bound by consumer protection law and are hardly likely to do so in 바카라사이트ir promotional material,¡± he said.

Health Sciences University describes itself as offering about 30 accredited courses and apprenticeships, plus continuing professional development and training. Following 바카라사이트 UCO merger, it plans to launch a ¡°health business school¡± and a range of health professions apprenticeships.

Lesley Haig, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s vice-chancellor, said 바카라사이트 new name reflected 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s ¡°broadened scope, depth and level of ambition¡±.

¡°We have a clear focus and have decided to adopt a new name and a new identity which reflects our current status and future ambitions,¡± she added.

¡°We chose this new name because we didn¡¯t want anyone to be in any doubt about who we are and what we stand for. We want to be 바카라사이트 leading specialist health sciences university in 바카라사이트 UK.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com