BILL DEBATED

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 19, 17 October 1942, Page 8

BILL DEBATED

Control Of Medical Advertisements THROUGH ALL STAGES Instances illustrating what he claimed indicated the necessity for the control of patent medicines in the Dominion were quoted by the Minister of Health, Mr. Nordmeyer, in the House yesterday, during the second reading of the Medical Advertisements Bill. Members were inclined to lie facetious and a levity marked the sallies and exchanges. The Bill was designed to control advertisements of patent medicines and substances in the Dominion, said the Minister, and every claim made for them as a cure of diseases would require to be verified before a board which would be set up. The board’s function would be to scrutinize all advertisements and to call on the advertisers in cases so notified to prove their claims and statements set out in advertisements _ in neivspapers, periodicals, or by radio. In reply to an interjection, the Minister said that the proprietor of a patent medicine would still be able to sell his wares though advertisements might be banned. In instances ivhere claims were established the advertisers would be permitted to make such _an announcement in subsequent advertisements.

Stressing the need for control, he said there was some protection necessary for the public, and mentioned a case of an advertiser from a post office box advertising several lines. The legislation would bring New Zealand into line with what was done in Great Britain, Canada, and other countries. “It will do for human beings what legislation passed in recent years has done for cows and other animals,” he added. ■ The Minister referred to types of advertisements appearing in New Zealand papers ivhich would' reasonably come under review. There was a real and urgent need for the measure. In reply to a member ho said beauty aids would come within its provisions. Previous Act Recalled.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland, said that to condemn the advertisers of these medicines unheard seemed unfair without giving them a chance to defend themselves. One of the medicines mentioned .by the Minister of Health was taken frequently by members of the House, who had derived benefit from it. The reason for the Bill in view of the wide provisions in the Quackery Prevention Act were sought by Air. Holland. He thought the Minister ’should say why it was desirable to replace one measure with the other. Mr. Holland also asked if the Bill covered ordinary correspondence, and if it did not leave the way open for advertising by the circular letter. An explanation should also be given as to the position of medical advertisements on hoardings. The House would also like to knoiv if there ivas to be a right of appeal in the case of the board ruling against an advertiser required to prove his claim. Speaking on behalf of the Institute of Chemistry, Mr. McCombs (Government, Lyttelton) cited instances which he described as fraudulent or misleading advertising of remedies. He suggested that the Bill be enlarged to cover foods guaranteed to maintain good health. Some of the worst advertisements dealt in such foods, he said. In Australia every advertisement tor foods and remedies intended for radio broadcasting had first to be censored.

Mr. Kyle (Independent, Riecartou) congratulated the Minister for bringing the Bill down, as it had been needed for a long time. He said the revenue of the National Commercial Broadcasting service could be expected to drop considerably ivhen the legislation took effect, because much of its advertising concerned quack iremedies. The Government’s radio journal, the ‘Listener,’ was also an offender. The measure would be valuable if it helped people to safeguard themselves from themselves. While approving the Bill, Mr. Goosman (Opposition, Waikato) expressed the hope that the board’s activities would not hamper the eale of sound remedies or halt progress in the development of new ones. Something should be done to protect the public from some chemists who said they were out of certain proved lines and offered something “Just as good.” Replying briefly to the deba'te, the Minister of Health said the Quackery Prevention Act had been found inadequate to meet the problem of quackery. It was very difficult to get convictions under that legislation. Circular letters and any other kind of advertising of remedies would be covered by the Bill. The Bill was read a second time, put through the remaining stages and passed.