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."


2 comments:

  1. Dear Ron,

    "Many visitors to this blog complain that I am closed-minded, cowardly, offensive, litigious, vitriolic, or perhaps even mentally unbalanced.

    Well, they might be right."

    LOL Clearly! Even you can see it.
    What would you do if the ASA was closed down tomorrow? How would you continue your crusade against anything that doesn't come out of a GlaxoSmithKline box? You know, a lot of people have strong opinions and and no way of making them known. That can be frustrating but it's the way it is. Your opinion is no more valid than anyone else's. You aren't even in the majority. But you have found the ASA, who have their work cut out dealing with cases were just 1 complaint was received. Yours. What you call quackery doesn't kill people. People make choices. Sometimes they choose normal medicine and sometimes alternatives. Why not leave people to make these decisions as grown-up citizens who are responsible for their own lives?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahahahaha..."Dermatits"
      Why would anyone trust their health to someone who can't even spell, let alone substantiate their claims to 'heal'?

      Delete

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