A militant anti-vaxxer filmed the moment he stormed into a doctors’ surgery and demanded staff remove posters advertising vaccinations.
The man told employees at the Melbourne surgery that he was from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
He claimed that the posters, advertising vaccines for flu and whooping cough, were in breach of TGA guidelines.
The activist, from the group WeAreChange, uploaded a seven minute video of the incident to YouTube and Facebook on Sunday night.
‘My name’s Jeff, I’m here to inform you that this surgery is in breach of TGA Guidelines,’ the man tells the stunned receptionist.
‘Advertising vaccine posters is a violation of their rules and regulations so I’m required to basically come here and inform you of that.’
He then hands over a copy of the Department of Health guidelines for advertising therapeutic goods, printed from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) website.
‘I’ve ordered some documentation so you can get a further understanding but I require these posters to be taken down immediately, if not further action will be taken,’ he said.
The receptionist politely calls her boss, a doctor, who speaks to the man.
The staff appear unaware they are being filmed, and are clearly confused, believing the man to be an official.
Confused staff at the unidentified Melbourne medical centre took down the vaccination posters, mistakenly thinking they were being told to do so by someone with authority
‘I’m following up on complaints that have been made in regards to illegal advertising of vaccines that you have in the foyer,’ the activist tells the doctor.
‘It’s in direct violation of the TGA guidelines, it’s quite a serious offence.’
He then tells the doctor that if a patient had an injury from a vaccine that there would be ‘fines or repercussions’.
‘I’m sure you don’t want that so I require the promotional material to be taken down immediately otherwise further action will be taken,’ he said.
The man tells the doctor to take down the posters informing patients that flu and whooping cough vaccines are now available.
None of the posters taken down by the unknown medical centre in the video appear to have breached TGA guidelines. The bewildered staff appeared to be unaware they were on camera
The bewildered doctor asks the man whether the TGA recommends vaccination against the flu or not.
The activist primly tells him the vaccine posters are a violation of the TGA advertising code of conduct.
‘So let’s deal with that now and let’s get them taken down shall we before anyone gets hurt or injured,’ he says.
The doctor then instructs the receptionist to remove the posters for the man.
‘Thank you very much, doctor, for complying, and I hope they don’t appear again otherwise I’ll have to come back,’ the man says.
It is not clear whether the activist may be wearing some sort of uniform or name badge to trick the medical centre staff into thinking he has authority.
Medical centre staff thought the man was simply doing his job by telling them to remove the posters. They did not realise he was a militant anti-vaxxer secretly filming them
As one of the medical receptionists takes down all the vaccine posters, she says: ‘I know you’re just doing your job’.
The man replies: ‘Yes, that’s right – as are you.’
This year more than 400 Australians died after contracting the flu virus.
Whooping cough is also on the rise and can cause pneumonia, uncontrollable coughing and even death.
Some strains of flu and whooping cough can be prevented by a vaccine.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration says on its website that it does not regulate the advertising of health services, only of advertisements for therapeutic goods.
According to its guidelines the TGA encourages medical centres to advertise vaccines, and recommends they inform the public of free vaccinations for at-risk groups such as pregnant women.
None of the posters taken down by the unknown medical centre in the video appear to have breached the TGA guidelines.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the TGA for comment.
The video appears to have been secretly filmed, which potentially puts the activist in breach of Victoria’s Surveillance Devices Act 1999 as well as privacy laws.
The YouTube video of the bizarre confrontation had been viewed 179 times by Monday and was uploaded to Facebook by user ‘Barney Alcock’.
Daily Mail Australia tried to contact Mr Alcock but had not received a response by time of writing.