The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has instituted a joint proceeding in the fast track list in the Federal Court, Melbourne, against five companies and four individuals for alleged false and misleading claims about allergy treatments.
The respondents are:
- Renew You Centre For Wellbeing & Longevity Pty Ltd
- Newlife Publishing And Marketing Pty Ltd
- Bojan Schianetz
- Dzung Kieu Price
- Willesee Healthcare Pty Ltd
- Theoliza Pty Ltd
- Theta Line Pty Ltd
- Maria Teresa Colosimo
- Sophie Lee-Anne Georgonicas
The ACCC alleges that all the respondents have made false and misleading representations in breach of the Trade Practices Act 1974.
The respondents are alleged to have represented that they could test for and identify a substance to which a person is allergic and successfully treat, cure or eliminate a person’s allergy.
Renew You, Newlife, Schianetz and Price are further alleged to have falsely and misleadingly represented that they could teach parents and carers of children to test for and identify a substance to which a child is allergic and to successfully treat, cure or eliminate a child’s allergy.
The ACCC is seeking various orders including declarations, injunctions, corrective advertisements and costs. The ACCC is also seeking civil pecuniary penalties against Renew You, Newlife, Schianetz and Price for representations made after 14 April 2010, taking advantage of recent amendments to the law. Additionally, the ACCC is seeking orders to disqualify Schianetz and Price from managing corporations for a period of three years.
A directions hearing is listed before Justice Finkelstein 23 November at 11 a.m. in the Federal Court, Melbourne.