SYDNEY: The peak body representing manufacturers of vitamins, natural medicines and health supplements has called for calm in the wake of the Pan Pharmaceutical crisis.
Chair of the Australian Council of Complementary Medicine, Mervyn Pallid, said consumers should not be alarmed by the recall of hundreds of allegedly substandard products.
"There is absolutely no threat to the health of anybody who takes any of these products," Mr Pallid said.
"There is no threat now and there never has been because not one of these products actually works - they have never done a damn thing.
"So everyone's perfectly safe."
When asked what impact the crisis would have on the availability of complementary medicine Mr Pallid said: "I don't really know because in my case, as chair of the ACCM, just about everything I take is complimentary."

Businessman faces charges
MELBOURNE: An alleged scam based on the Big Brother TV program landed a Queensland businessman in the Melbourne District Court yesterday on fraud charges.
Morrison Barnum Edison Bezzle, 47, self-employed of Skase Crescent, Redbond Waters on the Gold Coast, was charged following an investigation by Victoria's Office of Consumer Affairs.
At yesterday's hearing, Victorian Crown Prosecutor Kenneth Gyprock said it would be alleged Bezzle sold tickets costing $900 and promised buyers they could "meet stars from Big Brother".
"Those who bought tickets went to an outer-Melbourne property and were introduced to 10 people Bezzle represented as former stars of the Big Brother program, although none had been directly involved in the show at any time," he said.
Mr Gyprock said those who bought tickets were also promised a "sumptuous al-fresco lunch with your choice of imported beer or champagne".
"While Bezzle did provide refreshments, they consisted entirely of sandwiches bought from a nearby roadhouse and toasted on a barbecue, and cans of a beer made in New Guinea.
"No champagne was provided, although Consumer Affairs officers did find several flagons of moselle and a bicycle pump at the property."
Bezzle's defence lawyer, C. Stanley Hardie Jnr, said his client would vigorously fight all charges.
"My client is the victim of his own good nature and generosity," Mr Hardie told the court.
Mr Bezzle was remanded on bail to appear for trial later this year.

George brings down the house
Top US comic George W Bush has wowed an audience at a tank factory in midland USA by joking that just maybe Saddam Hussein had gotten rid of all his weapons of mass destruction before the Iraq war began.

Court throws out charges
COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan taxi driver has been cleared of assaulting Test cricket umpire Asoka De Silva after he told a lower court he had only struck out in anger after De Silva had signalled for him and then claimed he had done no such thing.

Irish take prompt action
DUBLIN: Health authorities have closed a softdrink factory on the outskirts of the Irish capital over a suspected case of sars.