Comments on: The AVN’s reputation is in tatters.

By: David Icke and the Australian Vaccination Network | reasonablehank

David Icke and the Australian Vaccination Network | reasonablehank — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:08:25 +0000

[...] I’m not sure how this eases concerns that the AVN is, at heart, just a bunch of “rabid, idiotic fringe-dwellers“. [...]

By: The NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing revokes the anti-vaccination group AVN’s charitable status: « Griffith University Society for Skeptics and Freethinkers Weblog

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 06:42:25 +0000

[...] fellow Stop the AVN Group Members , Peter Bowditch, the Australian Skeptics Inc , Kylie Sturgess, Dr Rachael Dunlop , the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC), ABC journalist Steve Cannane, and here, Luke [...]

By: » The AVN shoots themselves in the foot, again.

» The AVN shoots themselves in the foot, again. — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:14:54 +0000

[...] seems the tide has definitely turned in the media with respect to the AVN. Previously the majority of the reporting was staunchly about [...]

By: Michael Kingsford Gray

Michael Kingsford Gray — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:40:48 +0000

As you say: “Times are a-changin’”, but due in no small part to you!

(Litotes:- intended as a massive tribute to your unstinting & unpaid efforts in combating infanticidal-genocidal-pseudo-medico-bullshit.)

The globe thanks you.

By: Ken McLeod

Ken McLeod — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 01:06:59 +0000

Re the question above “Does the HCCC have the force of law behind it? Or is it toothless like the TGA?” Everything that the HCCC has done is according to law, I am reliably informed that they and their lawyers spent a lot of time getting the report absolutley correct according to the enabling legislation, hence the rather mild sanctions against the AVN.
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So, yes, the HCCC’s powere are rather limited, but it is not quite “toothless” as you put it. That is the fault of the enabling legislation and the politicians who put it in place.
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It is time then, to enable bodies like the HCCC and TGA to have more powers to stop dangerous crackpot organisations like the AVN, so I would be talking to your politicians.

By: AndyD

AndyD — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:17:07 +0000

I think the time will come where sceptics/scientists/medical professionals will have to lay out a policy position for a future government to adopt (similar to what happened with English libel reform).
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Do we ban groups like the AVN? Sounds dangerously like something Stephen Conroy might suggest. If not, how can they be effectively managed without imposing laws that would similarly restrict unqualified sceptics from public comment on health issues?
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Can we ban homeopathy? Should we? Can it be regulated without lending it credibility? Should it be restricted to a limited group of qualified MDs who recognise its value as a (should be) cheap placebo?
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It seems clear from the global lack of action that governments either don’t care (there’s probably a lot of votes in alt-med) or don’t know what to do to deal with the promotion of bizarre and dangerous anti-reality theories. (On that score, it’s interesting how homeopaths and other anti-science groups continue to flourish when world governments are supposedly out to shut them all down.)

By: Podblack

Podblack — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:31:15 +0000

So wonderful that this was in the works and a great round-up of links. And yes, more is needed. Thank you!

By: Brendan

Brendan — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:22:53 +0000

I can remember back in my early twenties (when I was unaware that homeopathy was just water), a woo woo friend of mine convinced another friend that vaccines were “toxic” and caused everything from autism, death, and the music of Michael Bolton. She further convinced my other friend that “homeopathic immunisation” was a better alternative to vaccines. I remember being a bit skeptical at the time but still willing to be open minded and learn more. I did some investigating and later found out the truth and was dumbfounded that people could believe such nonsense. Yet over the years since I have encountered people with good educations (some in government departments) who believe the nonsense the AVN promotes. I feel very relieved my mother was vigilant about my vaccines as a boy and I have kept up my schedule of vaccines as an adult. I am very happy to see the AVN exposed for what it is, people putting lives of young children at risk. I find it ironic that when you look up AVN on Google that there is another AVN in the US and it promotes the porn industry. Given that the AVN in this country promotes homeopathy I thought this clip was fitting and shows what the world might be like if the AVN had their way.http://youtu.be/cVV3QQ3wjC8

By: More Fallout from the HCCC findings against the AVN | Michigan Skeptics Association

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:12:05 +0000

[...] from The Skeptics Book of Pooh-Pooh posted an excellent article detailing the aftermath of the finding on the Australian public. Maggie writes: Initially I was [...]

By: exarch

exarch — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:04:26 +0000

What’s kind of sad is the fact that of the 5 responses on the 6minutes piece, 3 are antivaxxers backing the AVN. In fact, the very first one is from someone of Age of Autism (perhaps another site in dire need of a similar disclaimer).

Freedom of speech and censorship are the easy accusations to reach for in a case like this, but it’s pretty clear neither of those has anything to do with allowing blatant lies to stand unchallenged.