Advertising debate rages
July 16, 2013
PHARMACY academic Ken
Harvey says that proposals in
the TGA’s consultation about
advertising of therapeutic goods
(PD Thu) deserve “thoughtful input
from medical practitioners and
other stakeholders,” adding that
“it would be a pity if their views
were drowned out by a concerted
campaign from naturopaths,
herbalists, homeopaths and
Blackmores”.
Writing in the Medical Journal
of Australia this week, Harvey
acknowledged that the proposal
is causing a “great deal of angst”
among complementary medicine
practitioners - and in particular one
option which would remove them
from a list of health professionals
authorised to receive advertising of
therapeutic goods.
The proposal relating to
advertising directed to health
professionals makes reference only
to AHPRA-registered practitioners,
thereby excluding herbalists,
homeopaths, naturopaths and
other complementary medicine
practitioners who don’t qualify.
“The reality is that naturopaths,
herbalists and homeopaths have
not achieved national registration
for a number of reasons, including
the plethora of organisations that
represent them and their many and
varied educational and professional
standards,” Harvey wrote.
“Although there are well trained
complementary health care
practitioners whose practice is
evidence-based,” he said, “there
are many others who use shonky
diagnostic and therapeutic
techniques such as bio-impedance
analysis and live blood analysis,
and who are unaware of their
limitations.”
Also under consideration is a
proposal which would prohibit the
advertising of higher risk medical
devices to the public, which
naturopaths say will reduce access
to the tools of their trade.
Harvey countered this by saying
this would in turn “produce an
evidence-based debate about the
public health risks of many of the
devices they use”.
He believes that the proposal
about advertising of therapeutic
goods to the public is appropriate,
and “may also provide the stimulus
required for the complementary
health care professions to get their
act together to achieve registration
status”.
Dr Harvey called for thoughtful
input to ensure that a balanced
perspective drives the result.
The TGA will accept submissions
until this Friday 19 July.
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