Advertising for dietitians
Most advice on dietitian ads gets this wrong. It assumes you are registered with AHPRA, the body behind the health ad rules. You are not. Four other rulebooks apply instead.
Why that matters
AHPRA covers 16 health professions. Dietitians and nutritionists are not on that list. So the health ad law does not bind you directly.
How we know
Queensland's health ombudsman lists the workers covered by a code for people who are not registered. Its examples name dietitians directly.
What applies to you
They are a code for health workers, your own body's code, a food standard and a code for health product ads. One line on your site can hit all four.
The surprise
Your Dietitians Australia code says to follow the ad rules 'as if the dietitian were bound by the National Law'. So act as if AHPRA's rules apply.
What changes for you
Say you post a client success story as an APD. You have not broken the law. You have broken your own body's code, and it can take your letters away.
If you belong to no body
The professional code does not reach you. But the national code still bans health claims you cannot back up. Consumer law still applies to you too.
Claims about food
The food standard has more than 200 approved links between food and health. Only 13 can name a serious disease. At that level, you cannot rely on your own proof.
What to do
If your site sells 'AHPRA compliant', it claims something that does not apply to you. It sounds like authority, and anyone can check it. That is a risky mix.
Tap for the 4-rulebook table and the claims to delete this week.