A registered Chinese Medicine practitioner has been fined $45,000 for using testimonials claiming he could cure asthma.
Mr Qi Xin Chen, who operates the Australian Natural Medicine Centre in Sydney pleaded guilty to 30 charges of false, misleading or deceptive advertising relating to articles published on his websites.
The advertising included numerous testimonials detailing treatments Mr Chen apparently provided for asthma, as well as cancer, autism and fertility issues, an investigation by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) found.
The testimonials were “considered particularly shocking given they targeted such vulnerable individuals” the health watchdog said in a statement.
AHPRA CEO Martin Fletcher said the case should act as a reminder to registered health practitioners that such breaches will not be tolerated.
“Making false claims about treating serious illnesses is both unethical and illegal and can heavily influence a patient’s decision-making around their healthcare needs,” he said.
“AHPRA and the National Boards are committed to preventing this and will continue to take action against unlawful advertising in the best interests of consumers.”
AHPRA is now investigating options for disciplinary action against the practitioner.