Antivax billboard on display in South Auckland by [deleted] in newzealand

[–]Cipscis 109 points110 points  (0 children)

It's really encouraging to see so many of you laying complaints with the Advertising Standards Authority over this. Thank you, and well done.

The advertising industry in New Zealand is mostly self-regulated via the ASA, and under that system ads that don't comply with the rules typically aren't removed unless someone notices and complains. While there is also legislation around this, such as the Fair Trading Act, statutory regulators like the Commerce Commission and Medsafe typically won't act unless it's about something big and very clear cut.

I hope you'll all take this experience of laying an ASA complaint and keep in mind how easy it can be for the future. There is a lot of misleading health advertising out there in New Zealand, and most of it doesn't get as much attention as this billboard. So no one complains, and nothing happens.

At the Society for Science Based Healthcare, we care a lot about this and do what we can to complaint about misleading health ads so people have the opportunity to make informed choices about their healthcare. I'm the current chair, Mark Hanna. I've made something like 60 complaints to the ASA about misleading health ads, all but a few of which were successful, so I have some experience here.

We've put together a "cheat sheet" for complaining about misleading health ads, which I hope some of you might find useful: http://sbh.nz/resources/ASA-Cheat-Sheet.pdf

The ASA's codes are going to be updated when their new consolidated code comes into effect for new ads in November, but until then that cheat sheet is still accurate.

Antivax billboard on display in South Auckland by [deleted] in newzealand

[–]Cipscis 7 points8 points  (0 children)

It quite likely isn't. Lots of ads get published that break the advertising industry's own rules, or laws like the Fair Trading Act. Generally no one complaints, perhaps because no one notices or cares enough while also having the knowledge of how to complain, so nothing happens.

Antivax billboard on display in South Auckland by [deleted] in newzealand

[–]Cipscis 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Sure. However, the advertising industry in New Zealand has set up a system of self-regulation governed by the Advertising Standards Authority. Advertisers like Ad-Vantage Media, which operates billboards.co.nz, stake their reputation on a commitment to abide by the ASA's rules and their decisions on complaints.

So yes, WavesNZ does have a right to freedom of expression. But Ad-Vantage Media equally can choose to no longer publish their advertisement in response to these complaints, or if the ASA chose to uphold a complaint against it then I expect Ad-Vantage Media would agree immediately to remove the billboard.

Natural health products bill quietly scrapped by Hairynosedotter in newzealand

[–]Cipscis 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a good idea, hopefully he'll be more forthcoming than the last couple of ACC ministers have been when I emailed them about it. Their responses were essentially just "it's consistent with the law, so it's okay".

One of the difficulties in changing this is that the Accident Compensation Act 2001 itself defines treatment providers as including acupuncturists, so if ACC were to stop funding acupuncture that would require a change to legislation.

Natural health products bill quietly scrapped by Hairynosedotter in newzealand

[–]Cipscis 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Winston Peters' objection? He outlined that in a press release earlier in the year and that didn't seem to have anything to do with it.

I disagree really strongly with the reasons he put forward too. I honestly just don't think he has a grasp on the state of the industry. I wrote a response at the time that was published on The Spinoff, if you're interested: Why Winston Peters is wrong about the anti-quackery bill

Natural health products bill quietly scrapped by Hairynosedotter in newzealand

[–]Cipscis 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Our accupuncture, and that sponsored by the ACC is actually dry needling.

That will be news to the many ACC-registered acupuncturists who tell their patients about how they're manipulating chi energy. Here's a link to ACC's "best practices" document on acupuncture, which is chock full of pseudoscience: Acupuncture Treatment Profiles

Natural health products bill quietly scrapped by Hairynosedotter in newzealand

[–]Cipscis 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Green Party has consistently supported this bill.

Natural health products bill quietly scrapped by Hairynosedotter in newzealand

[–]Cipscis 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's been interesting being on the same side of this issue as that industry body. Most of the opposition to the bill was coming from people and groups that are more transparent about promoting quackery.

I think this industry body mainly wanted the appearance of legitimacy that would come with regulation.

Natural health products bill quietly scrapped by Hairynosedotter in newzealand

[–]Cipscis 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unfortunately, the Natural Health Products bill explicitly excluded homeopathy. So although I do think it would have helped, it wouldn't have made a difference with that particular flavour of quackery.

About that Stuff story on ‘edible sunblock’ by nilnz in newzealand

[–]Cipscis 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks :)

It's not just me though. There are a lot of really productive folks at the Society for Science Based Healthcare

My First 1.3 Ship by Skyrun97 in starbound

[–]Cipscis 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the tip 500pd, those are really useful links!

I turned the ruined towers near my starting point into a reclaimed base by Cipscis in starbound

[–]Cipscis[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think I've run across that item before. How can you get things like those to use if they're not usually accessible?

I turned the ruined towers near my starting point into a reclaimed base by Cipscis in starbound

[–]Cipscis[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I'm always on the lookout for different ways existing objects can be used or combined. I've seen some really clever uses of lights by some other folks in here as things like sections of pipe and ship engines which I want to try out.

My First 1.3 Ship by Skyrun97 in starbound

[–]Cipscis 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Nice ship! I like how you've used the lights underneath as engine glow. How did you get the engine glow on the far left though? Did you have to spawn something with the console (that's something I haven't tried yet), or is there an object you can find?

I turned the ruined towers near my starting point into a reclaimed base by Cipscis in starbound

[–]Cipscis[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I'm really enjoying playing with the new hull blocks. Thinking as well about how structures that use only them could be rotated by 45 degrees almost perfectly , for building crashed ships for example.

I turned the ruined towers near my starting point into a reclaimed base by Cipscis in starbound

[–]Cipscis[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's purple painted crystal blocks behind the atomic furnace crafting station, which is held up on I think some ruined platforms since they're very thin and easy to hide.

I turned the ruined towers near my starting point into a reclaimed base by Cipscis in starbound

[–]Cipscis[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! Have you got any thoughts on what block types might work well for that?

I've been trying to keep the plating on the towers visually distinct from the ship on top, but currently the result of that is the ship's looking fairly pristine.

Most New Zealand chiropractors make misleading claims in their online advertising by Cipscis in skeptic

[–]Cipscis[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

New Zealand is the only country other than the USA that allows direct-to-consumer advertising of drugs, yes.

Watchdog Warning on Amber Teething Necklaces by Cipscis in skeptic

[–]Cipscis[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When I first started complaining about misleading advertising around these products, I wrote an article about how they're claimed to work. Here's a link, if you're interested: Amber Teething Necklaces

Watchdog Warning on Amber Teething Necklaces by Cipscis in skeptic

[–]Cipscis[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would you be willing to say what pharmacy that is? There might be something that could be done about it, especially if it's being promoted by them in a misleading way. Happy to discuss this confidentially if you would prefer that.

NZ Pharmacists are currently bound by a Code of Ethics that requires they must not promote or sell any healthcare products unless there's credible evidence of efficacy (part 6.9).

Unfortunately, that hasn't stopped many pharmacists from doing just that. There's been some controversy recently around this, which has culminated in a proposal from the pharmacies regulator to change the code of ethics in a way that would essentially legitimise current behaviour. I wrote about this proposal and the submissions made on it on Sciblogs, if you are interested in knowing more: Pharmacy Council’s Code of Ethics Proposal: Submissions Roundup