Tag Archives: Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code

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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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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Pre-approval of advertisements for therapeutic goods ends on 30 June 2020.

Posted on April 19, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

Why remove pre-approval? Pre-approval of advertisements aimed to increase compliance with the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code. However, it had substantial limitations. It only applied to advertisements for medicines, not medical devices, and only to those in ‘specified media’. The latter … Continue reading →

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COVID-19 Scams: Hydrogen Technologies Pty Ltd

Posted on April 14, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

‘GROUNDBREAKING HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY SHOWS SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR FIGHTING CORONAVIRUS’ On 14 April 2020 a press release from Hydrogen Technologies Pty Ltd said: ‘Molecular hydrogen and oxygen technology is not only helping open the airways ofCoronavirus victims by reducing the inflammation … Continue reading →

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Independent review: Therapeutic goods advertising

Posted on February 28, 2020 by Dr Ken Harvey

In February 2018, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health, committed to an independent review of the impact of the new advertising measures within two years from the commencement of the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2017 Measures No.1) Act 2018. On … Continue reading →

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Multiple breaches of the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code by companies advertising weight loss products

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Dr Ken Harvey

The Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code (No. 2) 2018, s.26(3)(a) says: An advertisement for therapeutic goods containing any claim relating to weight management must not feature individuals in images or visual representations This version of the Code took effect on 1 … Continue reading →

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FOI application to view TGA “compliance notice sent with educational material” for complaint AC-KD45638R/2018 (Paingone)

Posted on January 7, 2019 by Dr Ken Harvey

This Freedom of Information (FOI) application reveals that the TGA summarised a detailed complaint alleging numerous specific breaches of the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code 2015 by sending one sentence to the advertisers, “The complaint alleges the advertisement may be misleading … Continue reading →

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Ear Candles: the outcome of TGA complaint AC-5TMWIYHC/2018

Posted on January 6, 2019 by Dr Ken Harvey

Ear candling is a widely promoted alternative medical practice that involves inserting and lighting a hollow candle in the ear canal. It is claimed that candling creates a vacuum that removes wax and that it can also relieve ear ache, … Continue reading →

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Consequences of TGA failure to act on complaints about illegal products

Posted on December 5, 2018 by Dr Ken Harvey

Therapeutic goods must be entered by the sponsor in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG)  before they can be legally sold. The purpose is to ensure consumers have some protection against potentially dangerous or fraudulent goods &/or misleading and … Continue reading →

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TGA fails to act on the promotion and sale of unapproved therapeutic goods

Posted on December 3, 2018 by Dr Ken Harvey

Products not regulated by the TGA represent, “a serious risk” says the regulator in, “Buying medicines and medical devices“. “These items have a high chance of being counterfeit, containing the wrong amount of active ingredient, being contaminated with toxic chemicals, … Continue reading →

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