Honest Universe

Featured image: We need to talk about police dogs

We need to talk about police dogs

Mark Hanna • Mar 10, 2021

It’s time we had a national conversation about if the way police dogs are currently used does more harm than it’s worth. Earlier today, I published a feature on the use of police dogs in New Zealand, based on Tactical Options Reporting (TOR) data detailing police use of force which was released under the Official Information Act. Read More

Featured image: Official information kept secret too long

Official information kept secret too long

Mark Hanna • Aug 20, 2018

Official information is being kept secret for longer than it should be. For the past few months, I have been gathering and analysing data from 12 government agencies, looking at how they handle requests made under the Official Information Act. My findings reflect what many have observed more anecdotally: responses to requests for information are often sent at the very … Read More

Featured image: Chiropractors struggle to drop testimonials

Chiropractors struggle to drop testimonials

Mark Hanna • Jul 01, 2018

The latest newsletter from the regulator of chiropractors offers an insight into the industry’s culture problems. In their June newsletter, the chair of the Chiropractic Board has admonished chiropractors for a discussion on how to circumvent consumer protection regulations: At a recent chiropractic function, a presentation was given on advertising, chiropractors’ responsibilities and the Advertising Standards Authority … Read More

Featured image: NZ Police pursuits keep killing people

NZ Police pursuits keep killing people

Mark Hanna • May 28, 2018

Despite a repeated cycle of calls for change, people keep dying in police pursuits in New Zealand. Just today, a teenager and a child died as the result of a police pursuit in Palmerston North. News stories like these keep appearing. In February this year I asked NZ Police to release a number of statistics regarding police … Read More

Featured image: Personalised Supplements

Personalised Supplements

Mark Hanna • May 08, 2018

Can an online quiz give good recommendations for taking supplements? Stuff today published an article about two New Zealand companies that launched recently, Vitally and Wondermins, which each use online quizzes to sell “personalised vitamins”. Unfortunately, Stuff chose to focus on the question “What’s the point?” rather than “What’s the evidence?”. I thought it would be an … Read More

Featured image: What we owe our pets

What we owe our pets

Mark Hanna • Mar 22, 2018

I recently complained about a vet promoting quackery in the Bay of Plenty Times. In response to my complaint, the editor agreed to publish a response I wrote, regarding what we owe our pets. Now that it’s been up for a little while, I’m also publishing it here on my blog. The Bay of Plenty Times recently … Read More

Featured image: New Rules for Pharmacists

New Rules for Pharmacists

Mark Hanna • Mar 07, 2018

The Pharmacy Council has (finally) published their new Code of Ethics 2018. I’ve written several times on the ongoing saga of the Pharmacy Council’s Code of Ethics. In late 2014 we put together a complaint at the Society for Science Based Healthcare arguing that their Code of Ethics 2011 had been violated by … Read More

Featured image: Can you trust Band-Aids?

Can you trust Band-Aids?

Mark Hanna • Nov 29, 2017

Band-Aid is a household name, but can you trust the way they’re promoted? For years Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturers of Band-Aid adhesive bandages, have been making a simple claim about them. If you put a Band-Aid on a cut, it will heal faster than it would have if left uncovered. Specifically, they say it will heal twice … Read More