Remember last year when Pete Evans cursed our sight with that weird blender-looking ‘BioCharger’ device? Yeah, that one. Well! He’s just been fined almost $80,000 over the alleged unlawful advertising of wellness products, including that thing. Hate it when that happens.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued a slew of infringement notices to Peter Evans Chef Pty Ltd, totalling $79,920, it announced on Tuesday evening.
The fines were issued to the company for the alleged advertising of therapeutic products, including the infamous ‘BioCharger’ device, that were not included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) at the time of advertising.
Other products include the hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers and two oral medicines.
Under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, therapeutic goods must be submitted to the ARTG before they can be lawfully advertised in Australia. That is, unless you have a specific exemption of some sort, or a suit upstairs gives you the A-okay.
Evans was also fined for the alleged advertising of static magnet products and hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers that included statements that implied the products were flogged by health professionals.
According to the TGA, you can’t actually imply in an ad that products are endorsed by health professionals, health practitioners, or medical researchers. That’s a no-no.
This is not the first time the TGA has dealt with Evans. Last year, the conspiracy theorist claimed the ‘BioCharger’ thing could treat the coronavirus.
He just fully hopped on Facebook Live and told his large following that the device could be used to combat the “Wuhan Coronavirus”.
He was later hit with two infringement notices by the TGA totalling $25,200. At the time, the government agency only issued a warning to Evans about other products.
In today’s statement, however, the TGA issued a direct notice to Evans and his company to stop advertising therapeutic goods that aren’t actually recognised by the ARTG.
In a statement, the health watchdog concluded that it has also told Evans and his company to “discontinue making various claims about therapeutic products.”
In other words: stop it. Just stop.
