Category Archives: Advertising

Hangover products still advertised despite complaints and lack of evidence

Posted on March 18, 2021 by Dr Ken Harvey

From July 2018 to July 2020, complaints about a convenience sample of eighteen complementary medicine hangover products, by eight sponsors, advertised on thirty different Internet sites (cases) were submitted to the TGA. It was alleged that all these advertisements breached … Continue reading →

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Resignation from TGACC

Posted on November 18, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

My resignation from the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Consultative Committee (TGACC) was precipitated by the non-response of Adj Professor John Skerritt, Deputy Secretary, Health Products Regulation Group, Department of Health, to long-standing issues raised yet again at the Skepticon 2020 regulatory … Continue reading →

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Independent Review of the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Framework: Recommendations

Posted on August 11, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

In 2018, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health, committed to a review of the impact of the new therapeutic goods advertising measures within two years from the commencement of the changes to the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 to … Continue reading →

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Complementary medicine weight loss products complaints submitted to the TGA in 2018-2019. Follow-up July 2020

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

This research was conducted by a team of Monash University BSc students on a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placement, supervised by Assoc Prof Ken Harvey. The team reviewed the following complaints submitted on: 6 July 2018, Pharmacare Laboratories FatBlaster FatMagnet products, … Continue reading →

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Towards independence from commercial interests in health

Posted on July 1, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

An important collection of resources from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Growing evidence shows that extensive financial relationships between industry and healthcare decision makers distort scientific research, medical education and the practice of medicine. The biggest problem is that industry … Continue reading →

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The TGA and COVID-19: Starting to use its compliance teeth!

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

Significant changes were made to the advertising framework of therapeutic goods during 2018-19. These included the TGA taking over the advertising complaint system, an updated, legally enforceable, advertising Code and stronger investigative and compliance powers. Yet the TGA initially appeared … Continue reading →

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COVID-19 Scams – ABC update on MMSAustralia

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

On 5 May 2020, ABC 7:30 (Grace Tobin) reported on the ‘Genesis II Church of Health and Healing’. The Australian branch, MMSAustralia.com.au currently promotes and sells Master Mineral Solution (MMS) – chlorine dioxide (a bleach) as a ‘sacrament of the Church’. … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising, Complementary medicine | Tagged | 1 Comment

COVID-19 Scams: Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF)

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

PEMF Therapy Australia promotes Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF) for the ‘Prevention and Healing Coronavirus Infections’ (and also other restricted representations such as diabetes). These devices do not appear to be listed on ARTG; they are therefore being illegally supplied … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising, Medical Devices | Tagged | 2 Comments

TGA clears Clive Palmer’s coronavirus ‘cure’ advertisement

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

It was reported that the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has dropped its investigation into newspaper advertisements taken out by the former federal politician Clive Palmer which said, ‘hydroxychloroquine was the best hope for those suffering COVID-19’. An advertisement is defined in the … Continue reading →

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COVID-19 Scams: MMSAUSTRALIA.COM.AU – Chlorine dioxide

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

MMSAustralia.com.au currently describes itself as a ‘Ministry of the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing’. It promotes and sells Master Mineral Solution (MMS) – chlorine dioxide (a bleach) as a ‘sacrament of the Church’. For example, ‘Jim Humble Approved … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising, Complementary medicine | Tagged , , | 14 Comments