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WEIRD WOO & THE SHAPE OF WATER
Jonathon Harper asks why a four-year course in homeopathy – an alternative therapy that’s been proven not to work – is approved and accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.I am a member of the New Zealand Society, for Science Based Healthcare. We meet regularly and affably in a cozy Wellington craft-beer pub. On our laptop computers, we identify dubious therapeutic claims made by sellers of what we call “woo”: magic magnetic bracelets, pain erasers, reiki, reflexology and the likes. Once we’ve found a dubious claim, we challenge the advertisers to prove their devices and procedures actually work by making a complaint to the New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The ASA is our national advertising watchdog, and is funded by the advertising and media industries as a form of self-regulation. Our complaints are usually upheld, and the offending advertisements are toned down. However, recently the ASA seems to have been making exceptions for unproven acupuncture and chiropractic therapies, because they are funded by ACC – even though ACC says its funding of a therapy should not be taken as proof of efficacy.
We buy our own drinks. Despite the occasional accusation that we are Big Pharma shills, we receive no money and not a lot of encouragement from anyone. Occasionally a friend or family member becomes upset with one of us for challenging their friendly holistic healer or natural therapist. Government agencies, such as MedSafe and the Commerce Commission, seem to be unhappy with us making complaints about alternative medicine practitioners, because it means more work for them.