Celebrate Freedom: ‘Healing ministry’ website’s claims of curing brain cancer and autism offer only false hope, doctors say

A PHARMACIST banned over a counterfeit Viagra scandal is behind a controversial “healing ministry” that claims to have cured brain cancer and autism.

Banned pharmacist Mina Attia outside his home. Picture: John Grainger

• PHARMACIST ATTIA’S REGISTRATION CANCELLED

A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE pharmacist banned over a counterfeit Viagra scandal is behind a controversial “healing ministry” that claims to have cured brain cancer, infertility and autism.

Mina Attia and his wife Yvon run outreach service Celebrate Freedom, which holds monthly meetings where they claim to perform “miracles and healings” for any condition or disease.

But doctors have slammed Celebrate Freedom, accusing it of offering vulnerable people­ false hope.

Celebrate Freedom’s website states: “With no strings attached, people with illness, diseases and conditions without cure receive prayer and healing through the name of Jesus. We witnessed many miracles and healings from incurable conditions, illnesses and infirmities.”

Testimonials on its website include a man who claims his brain cancer was cured and chemotherapy stopped after a Celebrate Freedom event, a father who attended and prayed for his autistic child and went home to find the deaf and mute boy talking, and a woman diagnosed as infertile who said she fell pregnant after phoning the group.

Australian Medical Assoc­iation­ NSW president Dr Brad Frankum said those testimonials were “grossly irresponsible and very dangerous”.

Mr Attia is fighting the ban in the Supreme Court. Picture: John Grainger

He stressed religion should be entirely separate from medical care. “There is no possible scientific explanation for what’s being claimed and I would strongly urge people not to abandon any of their medical treatment for faith healing in any way, faith or form,” he said.

University of NSW cancer expert Dr Darren Saunders accused the group of offering “false hope”.

“How someone who is a trained pharmacist could honestly believe (the claims) is hard to fathom … it’s incredibly arrogant to believe you’re acting like God and curing people,” he said.

“I have no problem with people who are sick or unwell turning to religion for spiritual purposes … I think it crosses a line when you claim it is helping treat it. That’s problematic because it doesn’t work.”

Dealing With Autism author Randa Habelrih, whose son Richard, 20, has the disorder, said: “Autism cannot be cured, but sadly there are of lot people who will try peddling a cure.”

Celebrate Freedom’s website states its events are free but it also includes a plea for donations, complete with bank account details.

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Celebrate Freedom has held meetings in English and Arabic at Western Sydney University, which, when questioned, distanced itself from the group and launched a review of its booking policy.

Mr and Mrs Attia, who also perform their “healing miracles” on Arabic TV, declined to comment.

Mr Attia was banned from practising pharmacy in December after he was involved in the distribution of fake Viagra pills to customers including a supplier for Sydney Children’s Hospital, which needed the medication for heart patients.

Mr Attia is fighting the ban in the Supreme Court.

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Mr Attia purchased cut-price fake Viagra from an unlicensed supplier who sold the drugs from an unmarked van and he “ought to have known” the product was counterfeit.