Chemists are being warned to be careful how they market homeopathic remedies, after the Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint against an anti-jet lag pill.
The authority ruled a pharmacy couldn't use an ad saying the 'No-Jet-Lag' pill really works.
Mark Hanna complained when he saw the display box for the homeopathic pill at Parnell Pharmacy.
"If it doesn't work you're not going to die, but even so the claims they're making aren't backed up by evidence, and they should be," says Mr Hanna.
He says Australian authorities concluded homeopathy doesn't work and the studies the manufacturers quote aren't even published.
"The largest was just 19 people and with that, the results just weren't very convincing at all."
Product developer Andrew Criglington says the pill works because he's sold 4 million packets.
"I mean, no one's complained yet in 20 years. With a proper clinical trial it has been sent to magazines who've rejected it because we cannot show an audit trail. Now no one can show an audit trail, it's impossible."
But the Advertising Standards Authority upheld Mr Hanna's complaint.
The pharmacy's still selling No-Jet-Lag, but without the advertising saying it really works.
The pharmacist told 3 News when people ask, they do say it's homeopathic and that there is no clinical evidence to support the claims.
Mr Hanna wants all pharmacists to shelve all homeopathic remedies.
"They have a code of ethics and part of that code of ethics requires that pharmacies can't promote or supply healthcare products where there's no credible evidence of efficacy.
"It seems in this case this is a product where there's no credible evidence of efficacy."
The Pharmacy Council told 3 News pharmacists would not be prevented from selling homeopathic products, but they would expect pharmacists to be aware of the evidence of efficacy, or lack thereof, of homeopathic remedies, and ensure the patient is informed.
Meanwhile, Mr Criglington says he's sent more detailed studies of No-Jet-Lag to academics and journals in another attempt to convince the sceptics.
3 News
source: newshub archive
