Healthy Skepticism Library item: 17590

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

Homeopath defies TGA
Pharmacy Daily 2010 Apr 12
http://www.pharmacydaily.com.au

Full text:

NSW Homeopath, Fran Sheffield has defied a Therapeutic Goods Administration order to remove ‘misleading and unvarified’homeopathic vaccination information published on her website, Homeopathy Plus!, because she disagrees with the TGA’s findings.

The TGA found that Homeopathy Plus! was in breach of at least nine advertising guidelines for its claims that homeopathic immunisation was effective against polio, meningococcal, cholera, whooping cough as well as a series of other serious diseases.

The TGA also expressed concerns over the website’s claim that often homeopathic vaccinations were safer than mainstream vaccines, saying that the claim was likely to “create fear and distress in consumers by implying that vaccination is harmful”.

One recent post on the site even claimed that “Homeopathy [is] as Good as Chemotherapy for breast cancer”.

The order to retract its claims was issued by the TGA over two months ago, and as yet Sheffield has not removed the content telling ABC Lateline host Steve Cannane last week that she disagreed with the TGA’s findings and that she was not advertising, but rather providing homeopathic information.

“The research we have, and it is limited research, shows that the rate of protection that a homeopathic immunising agent provides seems to be similar and in some instances better than what the orthodox vaccines offer,” Sheffield said.

“In terms of safety they are way, way better than vaccines,” she added.

The TGA has remained tightlipped on how it will now pursue the matter, but has confirmed that no legal action has, as yet, been taken over Sheffield’s non-compliance.