Those with food allergy live in hope that a cure will be found for their condition. However, it is well known that currently there is no cure for food allergy and the only proven therapy is avoidance of the offending food. It is no surprise then that an allergy treatment provider who claimed to be able to test for, identify, and cure or eliminate virtually all allergies or allergic reactions has been found to have misled consumers about the efficacy of its treatments.

The company Allergy Pathway Pty Ltd, which operates clinics located throughout Australia and also in Auckland, New Zealand, was recently the subject of Australian Competition and Consumer Commission action in the Federal Court, Melbourne. The court declared that the company's director, Mr Paul Keir, was knowingly concerned in or a party to the company's contraventions. The company and Mr Keir gave undertakings to the court not to engage in similar conduct for a period of three years. The company was also ordered to send letters to current and former customers detailing the contravening conduct and the outcome of the ACCC's action. The court also ordered the company to publish corrective advertising notices in newspapers, in its clinics and on its website (www.aaeclinics.com.au).

In making his ruling the federal court judge, Justice Finkelstein, emphasised the potential for the company's actions to cause real harm to clients who may wrongly believe the treatments provided by the clinics were effective.