Nuria Piera urges review of unverified autism therapies

Santo Domingo.- Journalist Nuria Piera publicly challenged claims made by Ernesto Fadul, who has stated that he can cure autism and is administering treatments that lack scientific validation.

Piera emphasized that the issue centers on scientific evidence, transparency, and the protection of minors, not personal disputes or conspiracy theories. She questioned the absence of peer-reviewed studies supporting the use of vitamins and amino acids as a cure, noting that professional credentials and medical licenses cannot replace clinical trials.

According to Piera, specialists in the United States, including pediatricians and psychiatrists, have warned of an increase in patients seeking treatment at the doctor’s clinic. She stated that Fadul confirmed in an interview that his treatment includes vitamin B and amino acids and reported that an analyzed product provided by a parent was identified as a vitamin B complex. She also raised concerns over testimonies indicating that these supplements are sold for amounts ranging from US$500 to US$2,000, despite being low-cost products in pharmacies, as well as the alleged lack of proper labeling and visible health registration.

Testimony and call for oversight

The program featured the testimony of Adriano Suárez, an Arizona resident and father of a 9-year-old girl with autism spectrum disorder, who said his family traveled to Santiago seeking improvement for his daughter. He described the evaluation as brief and the clinical environment as inadequate, stating that after paying US$525 for three months of treatment, administered between November and February, his daughter experienced a regression in her development.

Suárez questioned the use of identical medications and dosages for all patients and called on the Ministry of Public Health to investigate the case. In closing, Piera urged health authorities to evaluate the claims through regulated scientific studies, warning that replacing established therapies with unproven treatments risks wasting critical time in a child’s development. Public discussion continues as Dr. Fadul maintains that his practice is guided by an altruistic approach.