André Gernez (25 January 1923 – 8 January 2014) was a French physician, Oncologist, and Radiologist.Décès du docteur André Gernez - Egalite et Réconciliation
His work has received criticism from other medical professionals as being unscientific, or

Alternative medicine Alternative medicine is any practice that aims to achieve the healing effects of medicine despite lacking biological plausibility, testability, repeatability, or evidence from clinical trials. Complementary medicine (CM), complementary and alt ...

.↑ P. Vigeral, « La scandaleuse “campagne de prévention de la dégénérescence cancéreuse et artérielle” », ''Prescrire'' 8, p. 188-192, 1988, cité par Olivier Jallut dans ''Médecines parallèles et cancers''. Gernez explained diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative conditions, through a theory of

mitosis In cell biology, mitosis () is a part of the cell cycle in which replicated chromosomes are separated into two new nuclei. Cell division by mitosis gives rise to genetically identical cells in which the total number of chromosomes is mainta ...

and differentiation. He posited that only limited populations of cells within tissue are able to divide, comparing tissue to a colony of bees in which only the queen is able to reproduce.

Biography

André Gernez was born in January of

1923 Events January–February * January 9 – Lithuania begins the Klaipėda Revolt to annex the Klaipėda Region (Memel Territory). * January 11 – Despite strong British protests, troops from France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr area, t ...

in Avesnes-les-Aubert. Gernez enlisted in the military during World War II at the age of 14 under special exemption, and was certified as a military doctor in 1944. At the time, he was the youngest doctor in France at the age of 21. Gernez established a radiology-radiotherapy practice, which he ran from 1968 to 1976. In 1989 Gernez co-founded an association, Organic Union International (OUI), in favor of self-medication with doctors Jacques Lacaze and

Jean-Pierre Willem Jean-Pierre Willem, born 24 May 1938 at Sedan, France, is a doctor and founder of Médecins Aux Pieds Nus. He led numerous humanitarian missions to help victims of catastrophes and conflicts. Willem also was a doctor of medicine and president o ...

. He died aged 90 in 2014.

Beliefs and Criticism

In 1970, Gernez contested the belief first established by Santiago Ramón y Cajal that

neurogenesis Neurogenesis is the process by which nervous system cells, the neurons, are produced by neural stem cells (NSCs). It occurs in all species of animals except the porifera (sponges) and placozoans. Types of NSCs include neuroepithelial cells (NECs) ...

ceases after birth, postulating that neurogenesis can continue after birth. Gernez's theory is not held to be true by the general scientific community, as supporting evidence only suggests that mitosis of neural cells does not continue after birth. In 1980, Gernez proposed a "biological need to believe," suggesting that religious belief is genetically fixed in the

limbic system The limbic system, also known as the paleomammalian cortex, is a set of brain structures located on both sides of the thalamus, immediately beneath the medial temporal lobe of the cerebrum primarily in the forebrain.Schacter, Daniel L. 2012. ''Ps ...

. Although others have proposed similar theories, there is no empirical evidence suggesting that religion has a biological basis. Oncologist Olivier Jallut describes Gernez's preventative treatments as dangerous and unacceptable, and his curative methods as lacking in scientific legitimacy. Jallut cites earlier writings by Vigeral on the topic, who similarly described Gernez's work as having no scientific basis, with inadequate evaluation methods, and his practices as ineffective and potentially dangerous.

Awards

*1979:

Hans Adalbert Schweigart Hans Adalbert Schweigart (July 7, 1900 in Biberberg – December 12, 1972 in Hannover) was a German chemist and researcher in nutrition. He studied chemistry in Berlin and Munich. In 1935 he created the general term ''vital substances''. He w ...

medal from World Union for Protection of Life on 17 June in Salzburg, Austria with Konrad Lorenz. *2007: November 19, gold medal of Societé d'Encouragement au Progrès (SEP) in

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

at Paris, France.''

La Tribune du Progrès LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

'' n°34, Hiver/Printemps 2009

Bibliography and films

*''Prévention de la dégénérescence cancéreuse et artérielle'', André Gernez, (available in 2009). *''Le scandale du siècle'', tome 1 & 2, DVD André Gernez with the collaboration of

, produced by

Jean-Yves Bilien Jean-Yves is a French masculine given name. Notable persons with that name include: * Jean-Yves André (born 1977), Mauritian footballer * Jean-Yves Anis (born 1980), French footballer * Yves Jean-Bart (born 1947), Haitian football executive * Jean ...

, 2007. *''Les grands médicaments'', Henri Pradal et André Gernez, éd. Edition du Seuil, Paris (France), 1975. *''Néo-postulats biologiques et pathogéniques'', André Gernez, éd. La vie Claire, Mandres-les-roses (France), 1975, first published October 1968, 122 pages. *''Loi et règles de la cancérisation'', André Gernez, éd. Verschave, Roubaix (France), 1970, 168 pages. *''Le cancer, dynamique et éradication'', André Gernez, December 1969, 162 pages. *''La carcinogénèse, mécanisme et prévention'' (essai sur la dynamique des populations cellulaires), André Gernez, March 1969, 182 pages.

Notes and references

External links