Pete Evans has been fined a total of $25,200 by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) after he suggested that a AU$23,000 light machine could be used to treat Covid-19.
The celebrity chef received heavy criticism after he talked up the alleged health benefits of the BioCharger NG Subtle Energy Platform during a Facebook live video broadcast on April 9. During the video, Evans claimed the machine has several “recipes” designed to target the deadly virus and, according to the product description, it is “proven to restore strength, stamina, coordination and mental clarity”.
“We’ve had it for the last four or five months up at the farm, we use it pretty much everyday,” Pete, 47, said. “It’s a pretty amazing tool. It’s programmed with about 1,000 different recipes. There’s a couple of them for Wuhan coronavirus.”
The My Kitchen Rules star’s company – of which he is listed as the sole director – has now been hit with two infringement notices for alleged breaches of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, in relation to the comments.
“The TGA received a number of complaints about the promotion of a ‘BioCharger’ device that occurred during a Facebook live stream on 9 April 2020,” the TGA said in a statement on Friday. “Mr Evans allegedly live streamed on his Facebook page, which has more than 1.4 million followers, claims that the device could be used in relation to ‘Wuhan Coronavirus’ – a claim which has no apparent foundation, and which the TGA takes extremely seriously.”
The statement continued: “Any claim that references COVID-19 is a restricted representation under therapeutic goods legislation, and is of significant concern to the TGA given the heightened public concern about the pandemic. The TGA recently published a warning to advertisers and consumers about illegal advertising relating to COVID-19.”
At the time, Evans’ comments also triggered a huge backlash from doctors across the country, who branded them as “extremely dangerous”.
“When proper scientists are working really hard to find a vaccine and to find a cure for the virus, this is sort of slapping everybody in the face,” GP Brad McKay told 2GB’s Ben Fordham. “To say that you can gather around… basically, what looks like an electric heater… and tune it to a certain frequency, that it’s going to protect you from getting coronavirus, it’s extremely dangerous for that to happen.
“What will it take to shut Pete Evans up, and to shut down these bizarre claims that he has regarding people’s health?”
Meanwhile the Australian Medical Association (AMA) called Evans out on social media, and said: “This guy just doesn’t get it. Pete Evans is trying to sell a $15,000 fancy light machine to vulnerable and frightened people to protect them against Covid-19. He is not a doctor. He is not a scientist. He is a chef.”
Evans has since removed the controversial product from his website.