▁where ▁necessary . ▁Ass ists ▁can ▁and ▁often ▁are ▁admin ister ed ▁without ▁any ▁medical ▁treatment ▁necessary , ▁but ▁does ▁not ▁replace ▁it ▁when ▁it ▁is ▁necessary . ▁▁ ▁Th ous ands ▁of ▁examples ▁of ▁mi rac ul ous ▁results ▁of ▁Ass ists ▁are ▁claimed . ▁ ▁The ▁Church ▁and ▁its ▁founder ▁have ▁been ▁accused ▁of ▁una ut hor ized ▁" he aling " ▁or ▁" p ract icing ▁medicine " ▁( i . e . ▁address ing ▁the ▁body ) ▁with ▁Ass ists , ▁when ▁internal ▁publications ▁within ▁the ▁Church ▁on ▁Ass ist ▁procedure ▁state ▁this ▁is ▁not ▁the ▁case . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁past , ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Scient ology ▁has ▁received ▁negative ▁attention ▁from ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁and ▁regul atory ▁ag encies ▁for ▁pract icing ▁medicine ▁without ▁proper ▁lic ens ing . ▁ ▁Thus , ▁even ▁though ▁ass ists ▁are ▁intended ▁to ▁treat ▁pain , ▁inj uries , ▁and ▁even ▁death , ▁modern ▁Church ▁of ▁Scient ology ▁publications ▁are ▁careful ▁to ▁note ▁that ▁they ▁are ▁not ▁intended ▁to ▁replace ▁medicine , ▁since ▁it ▁often ▁goes ▁against ▁current ▁scientific ▁understanding ▁of ▁the ▁subject ▁and ▁may ▁result ▁in ▁direct ▁conflict ▁with ▁the ▁relevant ▁authorities . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁Scient ology ▁Hand book ▁( 1 9 9 4 ▁edition ) ▁states , ▁" Med ical ▁exam ination ▁and ▁diagn osis ▁should ▁be ▁sought ▁where ▁needed , ▁and ▁where ▁treatment ▁is ▁rout in ely ▁successful , ▁medical ▁treatment ▁should ▁be ▁obtained . ▁ ▁An ▁assist ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁substitute ▁for ▁medical ▁treatment ▁and ▁does