Healthy Skepticism Library item: 14057

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Shanahan L.
Alternative remedies face review
The Age (Melbourne) 2008 Aug 1
http://www.theage.com.au/national/alternative-remedies-face-review-20080731-3nzu.html

Full text:

THE multibillion-dollar complementary medicines industry will face further scrutiny of its advertising claims under tougher regulations to be introduced by the Federal Government.

Parliamentary secretary Jan McLucas said there was a real sense of urgency about reforming the complaints process and available information on weight-loss pills, vitamins, herbal remedies and other complementary medicines on which Australians spend more than $2 billion a year.

According to Senator McLucas, the system governing complementary medicines lacks enforcement powers and accessibility for consumers, although almost two-thirds of Australians used a complementary medicine in the past year.

“It’s very clear to me that we have to look at the whole process, including the advertising process,” she said.

“We certainly need a far more efficient complaints resolution scheme. It is not known generally that there is a system by which to complain.”

Safety and advertising standards of drugs produced by pharmaceutical companies are monitored by self-regulating body Medicines Australia.

Complaints about complementary medicines go to several industry complaint bodies with no enforcement power.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration will review complaints in rare cases.

Complementary medicines are also listed for sale without evaluation of their efficacy or therapeutic abilities. Recent research has challenged the legitimacy of claims made by manufacturers of weight-loss pills, alternative arthritis treatment glucosamine, and vitamins.

The Government is negotiating with the industry to improve the amount of information available to consumers and to toughen regulation of advertising claims.

Senator McLucas said it was a concern that even with the complex complaints system, 90% of complaints about the claims made by manufacturers were upheld.

The Government is conducting a survey to guide its new regulatory structure, and looking for ways to give consumers information. These are likely to include a website where consumers can find information about product claims.

Dr Ken Harvey, consumer advocate and fellow at the School of Public Health at La Trobe University, said that change was taking too long.

“There is a head of steam building in the public because of an increasing understanding of the deficiencies of the current system,” he said.

Dr Harvey, who has made numerous complaints about complementary medicines, said the new system needed the power to impose real penalties.