Fake site or taking away consumers choice

On the site it is quite plain what is wanted. Of importance is there is no claim to remove these Traditional Use medicines from use. Also of note on the site is some of what Choice is asking for:

"Australia is a multicultural country and it is appropriate that we respect and allow access to alternative medical traditions. However, it is also important that Australians are protected from misleading claims. For consumers to be able to make an informed choice about complementary medicines, products displaying traditional use indications should also be required to display a prominent disclaimer on the label to the effect of:

“This product’s traditional claims are based on alternative health practices that are not accepted by most modern medical experts. There is no good scientific evidence that this product works.”

This is in line with disclaimers used by the US Federal Trade Commission for homeopathic products."

So traditional usage is respected and allowed and is not blocked. But a warning is in place so consumers are made aware that the usage is not supported by good scientific evidence. If that evidence to show positive benefits became available then the warning would be removed.

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26 posts were split to a new topic: Traditional use medicines and therapies - what are your thoughts?

3 posts were merged into an existing topic: Getting a flu shot will make me sick?

Hmmm… I dont consider this statement true - modern medical experts. As science is always re-discovering things that natural practitioners knew for years - such as that probiotics should be taken with antibiotics. NOW doctors are telling people this. Naturopaths have been saying this for years. Also since when do we adopt US Federal Trade Commission ideas. We are Australia. Surely we can think independently for ourselves. Yes. I do agree prescribed practices should be respected - if they work. They don’t always work.

Government decisions across the gamut of issues usually follow the US from UN votes to approvals of medicines to adding/subtracting medicines to the controlled lists.

If only ‘we’ could indeed think (eg make decisions for our own best interests, not that of another country’s best interests) for ourselves, but ‘we’ are what ‘we’ are :frowning:

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Which is the point - and why Choice are lobbying for claims to match the reality of a product or service, across everything we as consumers ‘consume’. I feel Choice have navigated a fairly unbiased path in their consumer advocacy.

Back to my question - who are you in this discussion? A consumer and/or a practitioner? An author perhaps? Do you have any professional or vested interest in this topic?

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This is what Choice’s campaign is about. Ensuring those which are proven to be ‘good’, being able to use wording on products/marketing materials which have been tested and have proven effacy. While those being ‘bad’, not being allowed to make false or misleading claims which could incorrectly persuade a consumer to purchase on false hope.

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yes I do have an interest. in my health and the health of those I love. No vested interest from a money point of view as I don’t get paid to comment here. Just really passionate about ecology and lifestyle and seeing people be healthy.

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That’s a relief, or a moment there I thought you might be someone who sells services and products related to Stress management, Meditation and Relaxation Therapy, advice on Diet and Nutrition, Herbal Supplements, Vitamin Therapy, Aromatherapy, Hypnotherapy, Reiki, DNA and Energy Healing, Sensitivity Testing and Specialised Counselling who had come here to lobby in their ‘professional’ interest, which would be very concerning :slight_smile: In the interests of full disclosure, I’ve previously worked for ‘big pharma’ as some refer to it, as an IT guy with no specific interest in ‘pharma’ as such, just an interest in knowing there is evidence to back claims. I’ve seen a chiropractor since, maybe that helped.

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A post was merged into an existing topic: Getting a flu shot will make me sick?

A vested interest does not mean you get paid to comment here, it means you are in the industry whose practices are being debated here. Being paid to comment is a separate issue.

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I have been passionate about health since i was 16. i am 62. i have friends and family who are doctors and tell me about what happens behind the scenes and off the record. its sad. the public are not aware and walk round believing what the media tell them and whichever way the media swing and obviously you support this. look this is becoming an attack on my personal opinion which i am entitled to. i am here with a personal opinion of what my personal beliefs are and for no other reason. since i now feel you are attacking me i will comment no more in this section. i should be free to air my views without anyone jumping down my throat. that is not fair.whether i was a practitioner or not is irrelevant because i am simply passionate about health and healing. for myself. for my family. for people i love. obviously some people here want to make it more than that. i will no longer comment here. i just dont have time for this pointless banter. its going nowhere and in circles.

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just wanted to say someone has moved half of this conversation and i cant reply to some of you people as i cant get into that part of the discussion. so i am not ignoring you guys i just cant get in. my reply to draughtrider is not a reply to anyone else. there are some good points i wish i could reply to but i just cant find where to go to answer you.

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It’s actually just question I posed, which you have avoided answering more than once. When it comes to personal attacks, I feel you’d do well to re-read your opening post.

Are you a practitioner as I’ve previously asked?

Unfortunately you are right, when people avoid questions and make statements and claims without disclosing their interest and thereby establishing at least some credibility, the discussion does become pointless.

Please remember, I simply asked a question - if you felt attacked by that question then I feel that’s something you need to own.

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Does this mean you get paid money to comment elsewhere?

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I agree, you should be, and are free to air your views, as long as they are reasonable and supported by evidence.

In relation to people jumping down your throat, perhaps you may wish to re-read your opening statement that started this stream. It would seem that you are asking other readers not to do what you have done.

Readers are entitled to be informed of the basis contributors are writing on. Are they writing on behalf of a business or as a private individual, or as a representative of an organisation? Do they have a vested interest? Are they consumers or users of a product/service? Are they relating second hand? Are they trying to promote their own products/service, or perhaps denigrate the competition? etc.

As with any product, or service, or industry, when a contributor expresses strong views as you have, the author’s background becomes relevant. The readers should know if you are/were a practitioner or in the industry so we understand where you are coming from.

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Thanks Choosegood - I was not aware of this campaign but have now added my name. I think you are fear mongering and we already get far too much of that.

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GO CHOICE !
When I visit Chemist Warehouse I am always astounded at the number of useless vitamins they stock. There must be a lot of gullible customers out there. Some of these so called natural supplements can cause a great deal of harm. Ask a patient on dialysis as a result of supplements whether they still take them.

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3 posts were merged into an existing topic: Getting a flu shot will make me sick?