Weekly ASA adjudications: some interesting informal resolutions and only three adjudications

There were only three adjudications in total this week but fifty-one informally resolved cases. Of the three, just one related to misleading healthcare claims and in fact even that was classed under ‘Publishing’ as it was relating to an ad which had appeared in the Daily Express.

I suppose the fact that the advertiser, My Aesthetics Ltd had described the product as a little ‘JAR OF MIRACLES’ is some indication they may not have been able to substantiate their claims regarding its supposed healing qualities. A quick web search has revealed this ad for what I assume is the product in question. This is interesting as it strongly implies healing qualities, not only in the product name itself but also throughout the ad (eg ‘helps protect and rejuvenates the skin layers thereby helping in the natural healing process’) but at the end states that the product ‘is not capable of healing’. It is also interesting in the use of the nonstandard spelling ‘itchey’ and the complete absence of any information regarding the ingredients of the product or any even vague suggestion of how it might work.

Anti-vaccination ads in Times Square

I found out here that CBS are showing anti-vaccination ads in Times Square and read here how to complain about it. I have since signed the petition, tweeted and emailed. It was easy and since the ads are still running, I urge you to do the same.

My email (which I invite you to plagiarise) was as follows:

Weekly ASA Adjudications: Vitabiotics ‘slammed over misleading health claims’

The ASA this week upheld a complaint against Vitabiotics Ltd. It concerned some posters for Neurozan plus, which Vitabiotics claimed helps ‘maintain brain function and performance’ and provides ‘NUTRIENTS FOR THE BRAIN’. The product was ‘designed to help keep you at your razor sharp best’ and ‘includes the specific B vitamins reported in ground-breaking research’. Nutrisciences blogged the story in more detail here.

The Evening Standard’s ultimate response to my ‘PH’ complaint

Today’s Evening Standard features a column by their in house doctor, Christian Jessen in which he responds to my complaints and sets the record straight on alkaline diets, which he describes as ‘silly but harmless’.

I am pleased that Dr Jessen has pointed out just how nonsensical these kind of diets are. I am also glad to see he has pointed out Robert Young’s lack of credentials.

This is a result! I feel I can now draw a line under the whole thing.

Just one slight niggle…

ASA complaints provoked by the Evening Standard ‘PH’ article

I have already made several complaints to the ASA regarding live blood analysis. I thought I had made my point and had been planning to forget about LBA for a while and concentrate on the Nightingale Collaboration’s Focus of the Month. Following my complaint about the Evening Standard’s ‘PH’ article last week however, and after examining the related company websites, I felt I should inform the ASA of my concerns.