Sunday 17 October 2010

Innersound - "curing" Myalgic Encephalopathy


Earlier this year I found a flyer for Innersound, a charity who offer "Qi Energy Classes" and "Qi Treatments".


The sticking point, in my mind, was the flyer's claim that Innersound's magical energy therapies could help with


"Depression - Digestive Disorders - Insomnia - Migraine[s] - P[re]-M[enstrual] T[ension] - R[epetitive] S[train] I[njury] - Sports Injuries - and many more..."

After I submitted a complaint, Innersound told the ASA that they would withdraw this claim in their future leaflets.

Well - guess what!



Innersound were one of the exhibitors at an exhibition I recently attended. On at least three occasions, I was handed a copy of an identical flyer (available here and here) - the very same one Innersound had solemnly promised to withdraw!

Actually, the word "identical" isn't quite accurate - the flyer contained some inserts that weren't there before. One of them was a photocopy of two articles from the Sunday Express and Kindred Spirit magazine.

The Kindred Spirit article contained this astonishing claim:

"While some of their clients may have been initially sceptical, Innersound Qi treatments have been scientifically shown to detox the body, reduce stress hormones and strengthen immunity. This healing therapy is said to help restore vitality and correct imbalance as well as relieving a variety of health conditions including pain, fatigue, depression, digestive disorders and high blood pressure."

Scientifically proven, eh? Well - we'll see about that. The Sunday Express article featured the story of Sue Hutchins, who suffers from Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME).

"My GP was sympathetic but didn't really know how to treat me. I tried everything - hypnotherapy, osteopathy and reiki. Some of it seemed to help, but because my health fluctuated so much it was hard to know for sure."

Luckily, Innersound thought they could help.

"[Innersound Qi treatments] are designed to detox and re-energise...I now have [I]nnersound treatment regularly. It's a cumulative process - there's a lot of energy missing so it's going to take time - but it really does seem to be curing my ME".

I've put in another complaint to the ASA (below) - let's see if Innersound can substantiate any of their bizarre claims!

"I write to complain about a flyer I picked up at the "Mind - Body - Soul" exhibition in London on 2nd October this year.

The flyer, for Innersound, promotes their "Qi Treatment" and "Qi Classes".

1. (i) In June this year, I wrote the ASA to complain about an identical flyer from the same advertisers.

(ii) The flyer claimed to "help" with serious medical conditions such as depression, migraines and RSI.

2. In August, you wrote to tell me that the advertisers had "agreed to remove the references to medical conditions from their leaflet".

3. The advertisers had a stand at the exhibition. On three separate occassions, as I passed the stand, I was handed a copy of the flyer.

4. Therefore, under Section 3.7 of the CAP Code, I again challenge whether the advertisers can substantiate their claims that "Qi Treatment...can help your...Depression...Digestive Disorders...Insomnia...Migraine[s]...P[re]-M[enstrual]-T[ension]...R[epetitive] S[train] I[njury]... Sports Injuries...and many more..."

5. (i) On this occassion, the flyers I picked up contained two inserts (not stapled to the main flyer). The identical flyer I had picked up in June did not contain these inserts.

(ii) With this complaint I have enclosed a scan of one side of the flyer, and both sides of one of the inserts.

6. (i) One of the inserts contained, on one side, a copy of an article from "Kindred Spirit" magazine. The reverse side of the same insert contained a copy of an article from the "Sunday Express" newspaper.

(ii) My complaint treats these two articles as an advert, appearing as they do inside a flyer promoting the same treatments.

7. The article from "Kindred Spirit" includes the text:

"While some of their clients may have been initially sceptical, Innersound Qi treatments have been scientifically shown to detox the body, reduce stress hormones and strengthen immunity. This healing therapy is said to help restore vitality and correct imbalance as well as relieving a variety of health conditions including pain, fatigue, depression, digestive disorders and high blood pressure."

8. Under Section 3.7, I challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate any of the following claims:

(i) "Innersound Qi treatments have been scientifically shown to detox the body, reduce stress hormones and strengthen immunity"

(ii) Innersound Qi treatments can "[relieve] "a variety of health conditions including pain, fatigue, depression, digestive disorders and high blood pressure"

9. The article from the "Sunday Express" tells the story of Sue Hutchins, who suffers from Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME).

10. The article contains the text:

"My GP was sympathetic but didn't really know how to treat me. I tried everything - hypnotherapy, osteopathy and reiki. Some of it seemed to help, but because my health fluctuated so much it was hard to know for sure."

11. The article continues:

"[Innersound Qi treatments] are designed to detox and re-energise...I now have [I]nnersound treatment regularly. It's a cumulative process - there's a lot of energy missing so it's going to take time - but it really does seem to be curing my ME".

12. (i) Under Section 3.47, I challenge whether the testimonial claim that Innersound Qi treatments can "detox" the body is likely to mislead the consumer.

(ii) Under Section 3.47, I challenge whether the claim that Innersound Qi treatments can "cure" Myalgic Encephalopathy is misleading, under Section 12.1 I challenge whether it can be substantiated, under Section 12.2 I challenge whether the claim discourages essential treatment, under Section 12.6 I challenge whether the treatments is falsely claimed to be able to cure illness.

13. I confirm I have no connections with the advertiser. I confirm I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser."

6 comments:

  1. I play music at professional level, with someone who recovered from ME and could not perform for 12 years. She found her health back through Innersound....may be, this works for some not for all sufferers of ME.

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  2. REcently diagnosed with cancer. I'm considering not having chemotherapy in order to regain my health through innersound. Is there anyone out there who has been healed of thir cancer through this alternative treatment?

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  3. Hi Anonymous,

    If you choose Innersound over chemotherapy, you will die a slow and agonising death. Can I put it any more simply than that?

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  4. These people were raking in the £££ at the Camden Green Fair yesterday and today. Their treatment consisted of acupressure plus lots of hissing noises. I saw a man who was supposed to be one of the "masters" administering this strange treatment whilst listening to a call from a mobile wedged between his ear and his shoulder. These people looked like a bunch of new age fraudsters to me. I took some of their leaflets and did a bit of googling and came up with a news item about them back when they were called Ki Health International. Alternative health centre accused of 'brainwashing’ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2695637/Alternative-health-centre-accused-of-brainwashing.html

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  5. Did you know that this seemingly innocent "charity" have been exposed as being a cult.
    Excellent journalist who has won awards for his exposes with Amnesty International and Paul Foot award, wrote about them.
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2695637/Alternative-health-centre-accused-of-brainwashing.html
    http://www.rickross.com/groups/jungshim.html

    MONEY: Have you ever heard of a charity spending so much money on rent to be on such a prestigious street in London and in Manchester. Why?????? Wouldn't a legit charity try and REDUCE all costs, ie rent, and use their money to provide a service to their end users? Lots of charities I know work in crummy locations simply because they can't afford high rents. To get away from their cult status......
    MONEY: Why did they employ the top PR company in London to launch themselves in 2009? Potentially spending thousands of pounds on rebranding?? to get away from their cult status.....
    http://www.pha-media.com/2009/05/30/pha-have-the-ki-to-good-health/
    MONEY: Why does their healing programme cost so much money. Surely a legit charity that purports to help people, should be trying to give services at a nominal fee vs extortionate fees... see the above article where someone gave over £300,000 to them..... does that smack of charitable work or more of a cult......
    Check out their annual return: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends98/0001133398_ac_20100731_e_c.pdf
    They are saying that their rent, rates, wellbeing, etc is £170,000 p.a. does that sound right to you for a place in Harley St, Manchester and Exeter???
    Its got to be more – They are hiding something....
    Stop, pause and seriously think about it. Its all about the money money money...your money money money......

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  6. If you have been negatively affected by this organisation, or feel that you have been pressurised or unduly influenced into giving donations or doing Ancestor Training please email innersoundfiles@gmail.com

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