Similarly to yesterday’s post, today’s post features a chiropractor who has been sharing anti-vaccination misinformation for many years, including just yesterday. This is startling, considering the proclamations from the Chiropractic Board of Australia, on this very subject. As yesterday’s post pointed out:
On August 8 2013, the Chiropractic Board of Australia sent a strong warning to Australian chiropractors that it would no longer tolerate anti-vaccination and other misinformation in the profession…
On March 7 2016, the Chiropractic Board of Australia sent a strong warning to Australian chiropractors that it would no longer tolerate anti-vaccination and other misinformation in the profession…
Bret Hansell is a registered chiropractor who runs a business in Caringbah, in Sydney’s south, called Southern Chiropractic:
On his Facebook profile, Hansell cites his occupation and business:
Also on his profile, in 2013, Hansell promoted the dishonest petition which was created by Meryl Dorey of the disgraced anti-vaccination pressure group, the Australian Vaccination-skeptics Network. The AVN has a public health warning against its name:
Hansell’s business Facebook page is plastered with anti-vaccination and other misinformation, some of which is simply hideous.
On December 2 2015, Hansell shared this anti-vaccination meme which cruelly compares the documented death of baby Riley Hughes, from whooping cough, with the death of another baby, from SIDS, which is not caused by immunisation. The hurtful inclusion of Riley’s photograph and story in this meme was done without the consent of Riley’s parents:
On June 8 2015, Hansell posted this article which claims that autism can be reversed by chiropractic adjustments:
Anti-vaccination misinformation is regularly shared on Hansell’s page; even as late as yesterday.
On May 6 2016, Hansell posted this anti-vaccination article under the guise of offering his customers choice:
On April 22 2016, Hansell posted this misinformation surrounding tetanus and the tetanus immunisation. The text of the post was taken from a blog post which was published on his website, on April 21 2016. A copy of the complete Facebook post is featured after the addenda, at the end of this post:
On April 15 2016, Hansell promoted the anti-vaccination documentary Vaxxed, via a post from Truthkings:
On February 10 2016, Hansell posted this conspiracy theory which claims the Zika virus is covering up cases of microcephaly, which are caused by maternal whooping cough boosters:
On September 28 2015, Hansell posted this anti-vaccination YouTube video:
On September 28 2015, Hansell posted this newsletter from anti-vaccination conspiracy theorist, Judy Wilyman:
On August 21 2015, Hansell posted this anti-vaccine image which attempts to instill fear by showing the size of the MMR product insert:
On June 3 2015, Hansell posted this anti-vaccine standard:
On March 13 2015, Hansell posted anti-vaccine lies regarding the HPV vaccine:
On February 20 2015, Hansell posted this anti-vaccine article:
On September 15 2014, Hansell actively attempted to dissuade readers from immunising, stating that “all” vaccines are “poisons” and that readers should “reject the inject”:
On September 8 2014, Hansell referred to SIDS as “Shot-Induced Death Syndrome”:
On November 8 2013, Hansell posted this anti-vaccination meme which cites anti-vaccination naturopath, Dave Mihalovic:
Hansell also promoted the anti-vaccination documentary, Bought, this year.
On January 20 2016, Hansell declared that he had “teamed up” with the producer, Jeff Hays to promote the anti-vaccine film:
Hansell had previously promoted Bought on several occasions.
On September 7 2015:
On September 23 2015:
On October 23 2015:
Elsewhere on Hansell’s page he makes many other claims which are in breach of the Chiropractic Board of Australia’s codes and guidelines.
On August 3 2015, Hansell claimed that chiropractic has a positive effect on the immune system:
In its March 7 2016 statement, the CBA stated:
Of particular concern is the number of treatment claims in advertising relating to infants and children. Claims suggesting that manual therapy for spinal problems can assist with general wellness and/or benefit a variety of paediatric syndromes and organic conditions are not supported by satisfactory evidence. This includes claims relating to developmental and behavioural disorders, ADHD, autistic spectrum disorders, asthma, infantile colic, bedwetting, ear infections and digestive problems.
And:
Care of pregnant patients
Chiropractors are not trained to apply any direct treatment to an unborn child and should not deliver any treatment to the unborn child. Chiropractic care must not be represented or provided as treatment to the unborn child as an obstetric breech correction technique.
On April 11 2016, Hansell made several claims regarding the treatment of babies:
On April 4 2016, Hansell claimed that chiropractic care assists in pelvic alignment facilitating a more straightforward and less painful childbirth:
On March 16 2016, Hansell claimed that chiropractic care allows a body to work more effectively during childbirth:
On December 14 2015, Hansell posted this image which uses the Subluxationist’s Wager to create fear surrounding the “vulnerable” baby:
What would happen to your vulnerable baby if you didn’t get her checked by the chiropractor?
On January 8 2015, Hansell posted this unreferenced claim from the anti-vaccination pediatric chiropractic organisation, ICPA:
Hansell has also promoted the discredited, anti-vaccination cancer cure documentary, The Truth About Cancer.
On April 1 2016, Hansell promoted this misleading series:
On October 12 2015, Hansell first promoted the series:
Hansell has also made many posts which are derisive of other healthcare professionals and prescription medication.
On March 30 2016, Hansell misrepresented the practices of medical professionals:
On February 26 2016, Hansell advised his readers, and their families and friends, to cease taking statin medication:
On September 23 2015, Hansell misrepresented the practices of medical professionals:
On February 25 2015, Hansell misrepresented medical professionals and prescription medications:
Many claims appear on Hansell’s professional page which are based on the treatment of the outdated mythology of the chiropractic subluxation.
On March 14 2016, posted this meme from the business of anti-vaccination chiropractor, Jennifer Barham-Floreani:
On February 26 2016, Hansell posted this meme from Barham-Floreani’s business:
On October 30 2015, Hansell posted this meme which claims that mythical subluxations are a phenomena which have silent, telltale signs. It is also claimed that chiropractic care boosts a child’s immunity and results in fewer colds:
The following addenda contain excerpts from the Chiropractic Board of Australia’s codes, guidelines, and social media policy from which the reader may wish to choose when lodging a complaint about Bret Hansell.
Thanks for reading.
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Addendum 1
Code of conduct for chiropractors.
1.2 Professional values and qualities
[Practitioners] have a duty to keep their skills and knowledge up to date, refine and develop their clinical judgement as they gain experience, and contribute to their profession.
All practitioners have a responsibility to recognise and work within the limits of their competence, scope and areas of practice. Areas of practice vary according to different roles; for example, health practitioners, education providers, researchers and managers will all have quite different competencies and scopes of practice.
2.1 Providing good care. Introduction
a appropriately assessing the patient, taking into account their history (history includes relevant psychological, social and cultural aspects), views and conducting an appropriate physical examination
b ensuring that the diagnosis/clinical impression is appropriate, relevant, justifiable and based on sound clinical reasoning
d formulating and implementing a reasonable management plan (including providing treatment/care and advice and, where relevant, arranging investigations and liaising with other treating practitioners)
2.2 Good practice
a recognising and working within the limits of the chiropractor’s competence and scope and area of practice, which may change over time
b maintaining adequate knowledge and skills to provide safe and effective care, including providing treatment/care and advice and where relevant, arranging investigations and liaising with, or referring to, other health professionals
e considering the balance of benefit and harm in all clinical management decisions
g providing treatment/care options based on the best available information and practising in an evidence-based context and not being influenced by financial gain or incentives
h ensuring that services offered are provided with the best possible skill, care and competence
m ensuring that the chiropractor’s personal views do not adversely affect the care of their patients, and
n evaluating practice and the decisions made and action taken in providing good care.
3.4 Confidentiality and privacy
b seeking consent from patients before disclosing or sharing information
g ensuring that all staff are aware of the need to respect the confidentiality and privacy of patients and refrain from discussing patients in a non-professional context
j ensuring that use of social media and e-health is consistent with the practitioner’s ethical and legal obligations to protect privacy
3.5 Informed consent
b providing an explanation of the treatment/care recommended, its likely duration, expected benefits and cost, any alternative(s) to the proposed care, their relative risks/benefits, as well as the likely consequences of no care
c obtaining informed consent or other valid authority before undertaking any examination or investigation, providing treatment/care (this may not be possible in an emergency) or involving patients in teaching or research, including providing information on material risks
3.6 Informed financial consent
a ensuring that any financial agreement is based on the clinical needs of the patient
3.7 Children and young people
b placing the interests and wellbeing of the child or young person first
d ensuring informed consent to providing care for children involves the patient’s parent and/or guardian being provided with clinically relevant information for the chiropractic management of the child; unless a chiropractor judges that a child is of sufficient age and mental and emotional capacity to give their own consent to a service and relevant state and territory laws are complied with
e ensuring that risks of care and alternatives to care are sufficiently explained as these are essential elements of informed consent
4.1 Use of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities in chiropractic practice
a a full and thorough assessment of patients using tools, tests and procedures that are appropriate for the gathering of information necessary to form a reasonable diagnosis or clinical impression
c only using diagnostic tools, tests and procedures in accordance with established protocols for their appropriate use
d evaluating and reporting the data obtained in a contextual way to ensure that a reasonable and relevant diagnosis/clinical impression is formed, and that appropriate and necessary care is provided
e when using tools, tests and procedures in formulating a diagnosis/clinical impression, management plan and/or for prognostic purposes, the tools used should be for conditions where there are demonstrated acceptable levels of reliability and validity, and
f not misrepresenting the clinical value or significance of the findings of any tool, test or procedure.
5.1 Respect for colleagues and other practitioners
b acknowledging and respecting the contribution of all practitioners involved in patient care
6.4 Public health matters
a understanding the principles of public health, including health education, health promotion, disease prevention, and control and screening
b participating in efforts to promote the health of the community and being aware of obligations in disease prevention, including screening and reporting notifiable diseases where relevant
6.5 Provision of care in a healthcare facility
Good practice involves:
a seeking permission to access and provide care
b adhering to and following the policies and procedures of the facility
c communicating effectively with other practitioners involved in the management of the patient
d keeping the the facility informed of any care
e ensuring professional indemnity insurance (PII) coverage to cover care in that facility, and
f keeping adequate records.
9.6 Advertising
a complying with the National Board’s Advertising guidelines and relevant state and territory legislation and Commonwealth law.
b making sure that any information published about services is factual and verifiable
10.2 Chiropractors’ health
c understanding the principles of immunisation against communicable diseases
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Addendum 2
Guidelines for advertising regulated health services
6.2 Prohibited advertising under the National LawSection 133 of the National Law prohibits advertising that:
– is false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to be so
– offers a gift, discount or other inducement to attract a user of the health service without stating the terms and conditions of the offer
– uses testimonials or purported testimonials
– creates an unreasonable expectation of beneficial treatment, and/or
– encourages the indiscriminate or unnecessary use of health services.Maximum penalty—
a in the case of an individual—$5,000; or
b in the case of a body corporate—$10,000.
6.2.1 Misleading or deceptive advertising
Section 133 of the National Law states:
1 A person must not advertise a regulated health service, or a business that provides a regulated health service, in a way that –
a Is false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to be misleading or deceptive
Eg:
– mislead, either directly, or by implication, use of emphasis, comparison, contrast or omission
– only provide partial information which could be misleading
– imply that the regulated health services can be a substitute for public health vaccination or immunisation
– advertise the health benefits of a regulated health service when there is no proof that such benefits can be attained, and/or
– compare different regulated health professions or practitioners, in the same profession or across professions, in a way that may mislead or deceive.
6.2.2 Gifts and discounts
Section 133 of the National Law states:
1 A person must not advertise a regulated health service, or a business that provides a regulated health service, in a way that –
b Offers a gift, discount or other inducement to attract a person to use the service or the business, unless the advertisement also states the terms and conditions of the offer
Advertising may contravene the National Law when it:
– contains price information that is inexact
– contains price information that does not specify any terms and conditions or variables to an advertised price, or that could be considered misleading or deceptive
– states an instalment amount without stating the total cost (which is a condition of the offer), and/or
– does not state the terms and conditions of offers of gifts, discounts or other inducements.
6.2.3 Testimonials
Section 133 of the National Law states:
1 A person must not advertise a regulated health service, or a business that provides a regulated health service, in a way that –
c Uses testimonials or purported testimonials about the service or business
6.2.4 Unreasonable expectation of beneficial treatment
Section 133 of the National Law states:
1 A person must not advertise a regulated health service, or a business that provides a regulated health service, in a way that –
d Creates an unreasonable expectation of beneficial treatment
6.2.5 Encouraging indiscriminate or unnecessary use of health services
Section 133 of the National Law states:
1 A person must not advertise a regulated health service, or a business that provides a regulated health service, in a way that –
e Directly or indirectly encourages the indiscriminate or unnecessary use of regulated health services
Advertising may contravene the National Law when it:
– makes use of time-limited offers which influence a consumer to make decisions under the pressure of time and money rather than about their health care needs.
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Addendum 3
Social media policy
When using social media, health practitioners should remember that the National Law, their National Board’s code of ethics and professional conduct (the Code of conduct) and the Guidelines for advertising regulated health services (the Advertising guidelines) apply.Registered health practitioners should only post information that is not in breach of these obligations by:
– complying with professional obligations
– complying with confidentiality and privacy obligations (such as by not discussing patients or posting pictures of procedures, case studies, patients, or sensitive material which may enable patients to be identified without having obtained consent in appropriate situations)
– presenting information in an unbiased, evidence-based context, and
– not making unsubstantiated claims.Additional information may be available from professional bodies and/or employers, which aims to support health practitioners’ use of social media. However, the legal, ethical, and professional obligations that registered health practitioners must adhere to are set out in the National Boards’ respective Code of conduct and the Advertising guidelines.
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Tetanus misinformation – complete post April 22 2016
Tetanus in your dog’s mouth, I don’t think so!!
It appears that culturally, we are conditioned to fear Tetanus.
When you think about it, using Tetanus to encourage vaccination is a great tactic. Everyone generally knows that Tetanus is ‘caught’ by a wound. And how many times does a child get a scrape, a puncture, a cut? Every child is bound to step on something or get poked by something. So the pressure to vaccinate is strong, right?
So what is Tetanus?
Tetanus is the name of a sickness you get when the bacterium Clostridium tetani enters your body and flourishes (with a life cycle). The emphasis should be on ‘flourishes’ because Clostridium tetani requires an anaerobic environment. What does this mean? It means for the bacterium to survive, it must be in an environment free of oxygen.
In other words, to get sick with Tetanus, you must get the Clostridium tetani into your body, such as through the infamous example of stepping on a nail. Then you must ensure that the wound does not get oxygenated (does not bleed and is not exposed to air) and you must ensure the bacterium multiplies enough to start a life cycle, because the toxins released when they die is what causes Tetanus symptoms.
Summary: Tetanus requires a wound that is deep enough and neglected enough to create an anaerobic environment so that the bacteria can flourish, die off and spread a toxin in the body. The incubation period is 3-21 days, the average being 8 days.
And what does it mean to ‘oxygenate’? It means to bleed. Blood is oxygenated by passing through the lungs and then flowing through the body to oxygenate all the tissues. That is how we live. We are oxygenated creatures. So if you step on a nail and you bleed, the Clostridium tetani cannot live. In other words, Tetanus is impossible to get if you are alive, pumping blood normally through your body and taking care of the wound. That is why you cannot get tetanus from a dog bite.
Feel bamboozled yet?
Think about your feelings on this subject. Think about the messages you have received. What is a key point about Tetanus in our culture? The lack of choice. Whenever something is “your only option” it’s a pretty good indication that someone is lying to you. The parents I talk to feel that getting the vaccine is the ONLY option to protect their child from Tetanus. When a care provider tells you there are no options, this is a red flag and I encourage you to think about what it means when someone does this to you.
What are ways you can immediately protect your child? Proper wound care. That’s it. Seems ridiculously simple doesn’t it? Looking for adequate blood flow, cleansing the wound, applying an antiseptic and keeping the wound clean are basic steps to preventing ANY disease, including Tetanus.
The bottom line? Tetanus is difficult to contract and easy to cure.
Here I want to quickly resolve another related myth. I often hear parents say that they took their child to the emergency room because he stepped on a rusty nail or scraped his hand on a rusty piece of metal. Doctors readily push this misconception as well and use the descriptive term “rusty” when talking
about Tetanus or promoting the vaccine. After learning about how the illness is contracted, can you see the contradiction? Rust is the visible symptom of oxygenation. The tetani bacterium requires an anaerobic environment. I’m not saying there is absolutely no chance of contamination, but am just pointing out how people are conditioned to fear based on unscientific concepts about this topic
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4 Responses to Anti-vaccine chiropractors 68 – Bret Hansell