Saturday 27 February 2010

*Schweitzer Formula - fight those nasty niffs!


Jan Solomon, who can be reached on (+44) 1356 622412, offers readers of Nexus Magazine a nifty spray to combat those nasty niffs.


UPDATE, 1 Jun: ASA report the advertiser has given "her written assurance that she will remove the challenged claims about Schweitzer formula from her advertising"


This Schweitzer Formula website, presumably not connected to "Jan", offers a particularly brilliant example of how quack medicine salesmen like to confuse people with pseudoscientific gobbledegook. I recommenend it to everyone.

Including the ASA.


"I write to complain about an advert published in Nexus Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 2 (February-March 2010).

The advert, for "Jan", is entitled "Schweitzer Formula".

I have submitted a scan of the advert. I can provide an original copy of the advert by post, if required.

I suspect that the advert is in breach of one section of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code.

1. Nexus Magazine is published in the UK "under licence by Nexus Magazine (UK) Ltd". It is available in high street shops like WH Smiths.

2. The February-March 2010 issue (Vol. 17, No. 2, page 77) carried a classified advert entitled "Schweitzer Formula". The advert promotes a spray presumably containing the "Formula".

3. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

5. The CAP Code, Section 50.1, states "Medical and scientific claims made about beauty and health-related products should be backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people..."

6. I challenge whether "Jan" holds documentary evidence for any of the following claims, and whether any of the following claims are backed by appropriate evidence consisting of trials conducted on people (where applicable):

(i) The Schweitzer Formular is a deodarant that works;

(ii) The Schweitzer Formular improves oral hygiene;

(iii) The Schweitzer Formular reduces inflamed gums;

(iv) The Schweitzer Formular is effective as a "footspray" to combat "nasty niffs";

(v) The Schweitzer Formular helps with acne and cysts.

7. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser, Nexus Magazine, or with the publishing industry in general. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser or Nexus Magazine.

8. I confirm that I am happy to be identified as the complainant."

7 comments:

  1. When I get a kitchen burn, the ONLY thing that has taken the pain away is Schweitzer Formula! What do you have against it?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Sarah,

    Amazingly, I've noticed that when I get a kitchen burn, ordinary tap water has exactly the same effect. What do you have against ordinary tap water?

    ReplyDelete
  3. NO!!!! Ordinary tap water DOES NOT take the pain away! I had burned myself on a cast iron skillet and sprayed Schweitzer Formula on it - I kept misting it for a few minutes and the pain was GONE! Before I knew about Schweitzer Formula, I had burned my fingers and kept them in a glass of water ALL NIGHT and was up ALL NIGHT in horrible pain that didn't go away for SEVERAL DAYS!!!!! Big difference!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Anonymous,

    Even with my humble medical qualifications (a first aid certificate), I think I can spot the flaw in your previous treatments. Burned fingers should be put under running water - usually from a tap - not in a glass of water

    ReplyDelete
  5. even with lack of first aid certificate, i would agree fingers under running water would still hurt. still this does not detract from the fact stated by you both above:

    running water = relieves pain from burns
    Schweitzer Formula = relieves pain from burns

    conclude both hydrotherapy and Schweitzer Formula are good for therapeutic care of small burns!

    i don't see how running water assisting in managing the pain of a burn detracts from the fact the formula also seems to assist in this?

    skeptical, lots of people who practice in nutritional medicine with lots of experience recommend it. this suggests it has worth. and so does nutritional medicine. i suggest you do the research on the product.

    cheers.


    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Anonymous,

    Can you provide some evidence that Schweitzer formula relieves pain from burns? Or is it a case of being expected to take your word for it?


    ReplyDelete
  7. I am in complete agreement that the information contained on the Schweitzer Formula website in the US is very difficult to swallow. However, I do believe with absolute certainty historically it was successfully used in the US in hospitals from the 1920's through the 1940's until being pushed out by big corporate interests wanting to introduce profitable medicines. Do you think the Schweitzer Formula works/worked on the conditions as described on US website?

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.