A recent decision of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint made by an individual against an advertisement on the Fluoride Free NZ website depicting a named registered dentist and stating, in part: “Informed Doctors and Dentists say: KEEP FLUORIDE OUT.
A recent decision of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint made by an individual against an advertisement on the Fluoride Free NZ website depicting a named registered dentist and stating, in part: “Informed Doctors and Dentists say: KEEP FLUORIDE OUT. Keep Rotorua’s water safe. It’s our right to choose. Swallowing Fluoride, is unsafe for babies; doesn’t protect teeth and; can cause harm.”
The Complaints Board of the ASA said the statement inferred that doctors and dentists who were pro-fluoridation were not “informed”; and, in the absence of supporting evidence, the advertisement “could be considered denigrating to those professionals who were pro-fluoridation”.The Complaints Board held the advertisement was likely to mislead and breached the Advertising Code of Ethics “as the claims were presented as facts, but were not substantiated by the Advertiser”. Further, “the advertisement unjustifiably played on fear … and was socially irresponsible”.
The full ASA decision is available here.
In light of the ASA decision, it is timely to remind practitioners to be alert to their legal, ethical and professional responsibilities at all times, including compliance with the Dental Council Code of Practice on Advertising; Principles of Ethical Conduct for Oral Health Practitioners; and Council’s statement ‘Oral Health Practitioners’ Ethical Responsibility in the Community Water Fluoridation Debate’as published in the Dental Council’s August 2013 newsletter. When a practitioner enters the public debate on community water fluoridation, the Council codes and statements require them to behave in a way that is courteous, responsible and professional, and abstain from ways that could be considered denigrating to other practitioners or the profession.
