A new report by the Westminster Commission on Autism has highlighted an increase in potentially harmful interventions and treatments for people with Autism. Toby Perkins, MP for Chesterfield, attended the launch of the new report and is calling for greater regulation to combat the problem.

Toby said, “The Commission has been doing important work for many years with one of Chesterfield’s own residents, Craig Kennady, being a member and helping produce this report. The report has shown that autistic people and their carers have had a range of dangerous and unsubstantiated products and therapies offered to them, often presented as a ‘cure’. People have reported being offered homeopathy, crystal therapy, spiritual intervention, aromatherapy, diets and many other interventions that are not only of no use, but can be harmful. There is no cure to autism, people just need the right support and understanding to manage it.”

The Commission has called on the Government to convene all agencies with regulatory responsibility to identify the current gaps in regulation and ensure that potentially harmful treatments and  interventions are covered by legislation.

Toby added, “There are clearly a lot of fraudsters out there looking to exploit people on the autism spectrum and our regulatory bodies need the powers to clamp down on it. We also need a better understanding and awareness of autism to make society a safer space for all autistic people”.