Board: Drug therapy for children with autism was risky

A doctor nationally known for treating autism with a drug sometimes used to chemically castrate sex offenders has been suspended from practicing medicine in his home state of Maryland after state officials determined he is putting children at risk.

Dr. Mark Geier allegedly misrepresented his credentials, misdiagnosed children and urged parents to approve risky treatments without fully informing them of the potential dangers, according to the Maryland Board of Physicians.

The board's order, dated April 27, states that Geier "endangers autistic children and exploits their parents by administering to the children a treatment protocol that has a known substantial risk of serious harm and which is neither consistent with evidence-based medicine nor generally accepted in the relevant scientific community."

Geier told the Tribune in 2009 that he had treated hundreds of children with a testosterone suppressant called Lupron, which he called a "miracle drug." But a Tribune investigation exposed the therapy as a potentially dangerous treatment based on junk science and promoted by a physician not board-certified in any specialty relevant to autism or the use of hormone-disrupting drugs.

Geier, who has treated Illinois children and retains a license to practice medicine here, is prominent in the world of alternative treatments for autism. His ASD Centers advertise "new hope for autism," and he has offices around the country, including in Springfield. Geier is scheduled to speak at the annual Autism One conference this month in west suburban Lombard.

The Maryland board found that in six of nine cases it reviewed, Geier incorrectly diagnosed children with autism with precocious puberty -- that's the extraordinarily early onset of puberty -- and prescribed Lupron, which is sometimes covered by insurance to treat that rare condition.

In some cases, according to the board, Geier diagnosed the children with precocious puberty and prescribed drug protocols without examining them or conducting proper tests. Some of the children Geier diagnosed were too old to have the condition.

Geier is a genetic counselor, but according to the Maryland board order he has falsely claimed to be a board-certified geneticist and epidemiologist.

Geier, who is not allowed to practice in Maryland while the case is pending, referred questions to attorney Joseph Schwartz III. At the root of the case, Schwartz said, was a "bona fide dispute over therapy" rather than a doctor who posed an immediate threat to patients. 
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A Psychology Degree Can Lead To Careers Focused On Helping Others

The world of psychology carries with it a lot of stigma. There are many whom associate psychology with someone visiting the office of a shrink, baring his or her deepest secrets. Indeed, this is a very daily occurrence for many patients, but it is certainly not the only thing these professionals do.

In fact, did you know there are actually three career paths in Psychology? They cover Mental Health, Industrial (Business) and Organizational (Non Profit) work, and then there is the academic research and teaching side of things.

When a student decides to earn a degree in Psychology, it is pretty certain right away that one of the things he or she likes most is helping people. They are often the kind of person who typically would not hesitate to step out or step up to come to the aid of a stranger in a situation where others may retract. With a few exciting different routes from which students have the opportunity to choose, the student most definitely has the benefit of the above mentioned options.

Some workforce areas in which a psychology graduate can easily endure are some sort of social work, personnel or human resources, as well as the clinical and medical side of things which would include nursing, pharmacy or different types of therapy. While these pinpointed careers tend to differ in their own manner, the one thing they all share is that they all involve working closely with other people and resolving their issues or problems they may be having.

For example, as a social worker, you could interact with families and children who are in need. A social worker will also get involved with people's homes troubles and make sure that the children remain in a healthy environment. Sometimes, the social worker will have a role as a mediator of sorts in this type of setting. This interaction is vital and a psychology degree offers that critical thinking needed to deal with such situations.

Also, someone seeking to use his or her psychology degree toward human resources or personnel departments will be able to apply this or her skills in a corporate setting, offering assistance to employees of companies, as well as working on the assurance of understanding a company's policies. The psychology degree gives you the strength of communication skills sure to aid in this position.

Graduates who use their psychology degrees as a springboard into the medical field can find themselves in retail, office or hospital settings. These positions typically require a graduate level of schooling, as they are more involved than the others. They allow for grads to working in a pharmacy or doctor's practice, and offering therapy to patients is another option.
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