Thursday 10 February 2011

Mrs Shakeela Shafiq, Heroic Homeopath


There can't be
that many active homeopaths left in Luton who haven't come to my attention.

Given their average age, one presumes they aren't breeding like rabbits. (Perhaps they are emerging spontaneously, fully-formed, from some murky pool of nucleic acids?)

(Image credit: my photo)

Step forward Shakeela Shafiq who somehow persuaded Sainsbury's to put up the poster picture above.

Shakeela reckons her magical sugar pills can help with a number of serious medical conditions, including

"...arthritis... asthma... ADHD... flu... diarrhoea... IBS... Crohn's disease... depression... PMT... infertility... eczema... leucoderma...
sports injuries..."

Luckily for the citizens of north Luton, this collection of delusions and fantasies isn't visible until after they've walked past a real pharmacy.

ASA complaint follows!

"I write to complain about an advertising poster displayed on the "Customer advertising" board at Sainsbury's (Bramingham) store in Luton, on the 5th February 2011.

The poster promotes "Mrs Shakeela Shafiq", a homeopath. I've enclosed two photos, one clear enough to show the poster, the other to show its position on the board.

I'd like to challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate her claims that "Homeopathic Treatment...can help" with any of the following conditions:

(i) Arthritis
(ii) Asthma
(iii) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(iv) "Behaviour[al] problems"
(v) "Anger management"
(vi) "Anxiety"
(vii) "Bed wetting"
(viii) "Colds, coughs & Flu etc."
(ix) Constipation
(x) Diarrhoea
(xi) Irritable Bowel Syndrome
(xii) Colitis
(xiii) Crohn's disease
(xiv) Bloating
(xv) Heart burn
(xvi) Cystitis
(xvii) "Candida infection"
(xviii) Depression
(xix) Fatigue
(xx) "Hormonal issues" such as "P[re]-M[enstrual] T[ension], Fibroids, polycystic ovaries, infertility, painful or irregular periods"
(xxi) "Pregnancy Problems"
(xxii) "Menopause issues"
(xxiii) "Headaches & Migraine"
(xxiv) "Skin conditions" such as "acne, eczema, leucoderma, psoriasis, dermatit[i]s [sic]... fungal infections"
(xxv) "Thyroid problems"
(xxvi) "Sports injuries"

I'd also like to challenge whether the poster could discourage essential treatment for medical conditions, such as asthma, arthritis, depression and migraines, for which medical supervision should be sought."