Fibromyalgia Pain Relief Patch Advertisement Banned
Friday, November 20th, 2009The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority has decided that a press ad for the “Pain Ease Patch” must be stopped.
This national press ad was headlined with a quote attributed to Wimbledon champion Virginia Wade OBE and said “Discover Pain Ease, the patch that relieves pain – I did and it really works!”
The ad stated the device was recommended for “back pain and sciatica, Arthritis and fibromyalgia …. accelerating [sic] healing process”.
Unfortunately a solution for the pain caused by the fibromyalgia syndrome is probably not that simple.
A complainant challenged whether the efficacy claims in the ad could be substantiated and whether the device could treat the listed conditions.
The company Lifes2good had not provided full information on how the tests were carried out and the ASA noted Lifes2good had supplied summaries of the trials only and also that some of the trials did not seem to be controlled or blinded.
The ASA considered that the evidence submitted by Lifes2good was not sufficiently robust to support the strong efficacy claims and concluded that the ad was likely to mislead.
It also said the advert could discourage sufferers from seeking medical help. This could be potentially dangerous for certain conditions.
Advertising Standards Authority ruling:
They decided the the ad should not appear again in its current form because it breached CAP Code clauses 50.3 and 50.4 (Health and Beauty – products and therapies).
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the independent body set up by the advertising industry to police the rules laid down in the advertising codes.
You can read the full report at:
http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_47615.htm