Pete Evans fined $25,000 over coronavirus “light machine”
Therapeutic Goods Admin. acts on complaints about a "BioCharger" and says it takes claims in relation to coronavirus "extremely seriously."
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under Coronavirus, News
My Kitchen Rules chef Pete Evans has been fined $25,000 for claims about an expensive “light machine” he said could treat the “Wuhan coronavirus”.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration said it had received several complains about Evans’ promotion of the USD$15,000 BioCharger device.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration issued two infringement notices totalling $25,200 for alleged breaches of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (the Act). The TGA received a number of complaints about the promotion of a ‘BioCharger’ device that occurred during a Facebook live stream on 9th April.
Mr Evans allegedly live streamed on his Facebook page, which has more than 1.4 million followers, claims that the device could be used in relation to “Wuhan Coronavirus” – a claim which has no apparent foundation, and which the TGA takes extremely seriously.
Any claim that references COVID-19 is a restricted representation under therapeutic goods legislation, and is of significant concern to the TGA given the heightened public concern about the pandemic. The TGA recently published a warning to advertisers and consumers about illegal advertising relating to COVID-19.
The TGA has issued the Company with an infringement notice in respect of the representation made in the live stream / video.
A second infringement notice was issued for alleged advertising breaches on his website.
The page for the BioCharger included claims such as:
“proven to restore strength, stamina, co-ordination and mental clarity”
“sharpening your mental clarity”
“recovery….from an injury, stress”
“accelerating muscle recovery and reducing stiffness in joints”.
The Australian Medical Association also levelled criticism last month.
The evidence is clear and indisputable – vaccination is a remarkable public health success. Celebrity chefs should stick to cooking, not spreading unproven medical advice #VaccinesWork #VaccinesSaveLives https://t.co/H2BhtFup4X
— AMA Media (@ama_media) March 14, 2019
Share
- Tagged with My Kitchen Rules
14 Responses
What is it with celebrity chefs, fame goes to their heads and they go a bit cra cra.
Hopefully that’s the last we will see of him on free to air TV-.
Did see 7 using him on BH&G – massive mistake.
The fine is to light in my view, should have been $250k. I am doubting MKR will back next year. Perhaps they need new judges as well????
never understood having him as a judge ,when he thinks all that food is bad for you cause its not paleo
This demonstrates the toothless of the TGA. If he sold two of the machines he made a profit after the fines. Rule for listed products are self enforced in this country (and the US), which means not at all, unless something causes outrage.
Our Omega 3 supplements are are also mostly rubbish, made from bycatch waste from South America processed in China. The UK on the other hand tests theirs so to ensure that what is on the label reflects what is actually in them, so the majority ate high quality.
It’s about time he was punished for all his rantings, some people actually believe him and that’s a real shame.
Asking punters to spend 25k on a light while dressed like a hobo?
That’s as bad as asking punters to spend 25k on a light… dressed like a hobo
Time for Seven to cut all ties. I daresay that a big reason for MKR’s downfall has been people turning off because of him. Time for people to stop talking about stuff they have no qualifications in…and for people to stop listening. Stick to cooking Pete
Thought this was crazy but after hearing Trump today he deserves some sort of fine to.
Watching the full segment of the media conference on Sky News (or was it CNN) today in which Trump ‘explored’ the possibility of 2 cures was breath-taking in that anybody could reach the conclusions he did based on what the USA’s senior medical experts had just outlined. Maybe Trump could today use himself as a guinea pig for a medical trial on his ‘cure’ and then tomorrow, President Mike Pence will announce that the trial proved unsuccessful.
Brilliant Condex! And maybe announce that Pete is submitting to the new trials…? It’s just so despairing to hear these totally unqualified people and ‘leaders’ speak. Thank god we don’t have gun-toting demonstrators demanding ‘unlock Pete’s machines’ in the face of defiant front line health workers.
Poor guy. He was only trying to help people.
…by charging people who are scared shitless 15,000 bucks and ignoring TGA rules. Yeah good try, but he doesn’t really deserve ‘poor guy’. Sorry Markyboy.
Spot on.