Australian Medical Association warns against Mercy Ministries' "dangerous and potentially unethical" practices.

As reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

"Ethics, financial probity for review
Ruth Pollard
March 18, 2008

FORCING sick, vulnerable patients to see a doctor in the presence of an unrelated third party was both dangerous and potentially unethical, the Australian Medical Association warned yesterday.

Young women who entered Mercy Ministries' residential care program were required, as per the organisation's policy, to see a doctor in the presence of a ministry staff member or volunteer, it was revealed yesterday.

"I wasn't allowed to talk to the doctor by myself; they had a staff member or volunteer with us at all times, and the doctor never mentioned my anxiety or the other conditions I was suffering," said Megan Smith*. She was in the organisation's Sunshine Coast house for three months because of anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and other mental health problems.

"The staff used to bring our folder, which I guess contained our medical records, but the doctor would just flip through it and we were in and out in five minutes," she said.

The executive manager of programs at Mercy Ministries, Judy Watson, confirmed that all doctors' visits were monitored.

"Monitoring of a general practitioner visit is to assist with accurate medical information relayed and received for the benefit of the resident in their ongoing care whilst at Mercy Ministries," she said.

But the AMA's president and chairwoman of its ethics committee, Rosanna Capolingua, said patients must be able to talk freely to their doctor about how they are feeling, without the potential influence of a third party.

"It may be that the patient is under some kind of … duress or coercion to have that person accompany them," she said.

Without the ability to disclose that, their doctor might be none the wiser. "It would be very difficult for the doctor to determine whether the patient is freely requesting that the person be in the room with them."

And even if the doctor did ask the patient whether they had consented, the patient may not be able to answer.

"They are already vulnerable, they are coming in potentially under duress and they have another layer of fear on board … they might not have the courage to answer."

Such is the wider concern that Dr Capolingua has referred the matter to the AMA's federal ethics committee for consideration, aiming to advise doctors how to manage the situation.

Meanwhile, an investigation into the transfer of Centrelink benefits to Mercy Ministries is under way, after allegations that young women were signing over their benefits, but also encouraged to go onto a disability support pension so the organisation could collect carers' payments as well.

The Minister for Human Services, Joe Ludwig, has asked Centrelink to investigate the allegations and report on its pay arrangements with Mercy Ministries.

* Name has been changed to protect her identity."

Cult-rescue group 'concerned about' Mercy Ministries

Barney Zwartz
March 18, 2008 - 1:19PM

The Age, Cult-rescue group 'concerned about' Mercy Ministries

Anxious parents, friends and relatives of young women involved with Mercy Ministries have kept the phones busy at a Melbourne-based international cult-rescue organisation.

Raphael Aron, director of Cult Counselling Australia, said Mercy Ministries was not a traditional guru or disciple cult but its exploitation of vulnerable people put it in the cult spectrum.

Mercy Ministries is an American-style fundamentalist Christian group treating young women for drug addiction and pyschological disorders using prayer, exorcisms and Pentecostal religion.

Yesterday it was revealed that some residents have their Centrelink benefits paid directly to the organisation, which has links with HillSong, Australia's biggest church. Mercy Ministries yesterday said the report contained inaccuracies.

The group has facilities in Sydney and the Sunshine Coast, but has said it plans to expand into Melbourne.

"We've known about this organisation and been concerned about it for quite some time," Dr Aron said.

"My experience of these groups is that they are well meaning but totally misguided. They take away the women's opportunities and give false hope, then the women find they hit a brick wall and have nothing."

He said that quite apart from the religious elements, such as exorcisms and speaking in tongues, Mercy Ministries was medically inadequate, lacked medical professionals and was not accredited.

Dr Aron said that when such groups were made public there would be a rush of inquiries, and some would lead to his organisation working with families.

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