The Reviber Bodywave - Wibbly-Wobbly Detox

If you're both a fitness fanatic and keen viewer of TV infomercials, you'll no doubt be familiar with the product pictured below.

(Image credit)

The Reviber Bodywave is a wibbly-wobbly shaky-shaky exercise device.

I would certainly like to own one, even though I doubt some of the fitness claims this flyer (available here and here) makes.

The subject of this ASA complaint, though, is the preposterous suggestion that the device can detox your body:

"Therapists use the Reviber Bodywave to... detox their clients... The Bodywave may help your body's natural detoxification processes by enhancing lymphatic circulation (the body's natural detox system) and aiding abdominal peristalsis (digestion)"

As if that wasn't bad enough, the device is claimed to improve the effectiveness of a useless and dangerous quack therapy - colonic irrigation.

"The Bodywave is often used before colonic therapies because it improves the effectiveness of the colonic treatment"

The flyer is distributed by Zen Lifestyles UK Ltd. I fancy myself as not entirely ignorant about Buddhism, and as far as I remember, misleading your customers isn't one of the character traits it encourages.

ASA complaint follows!

"I write to complain about a flyer I picked up at the CamExpo exhibition in London on 24th October this year.

The flyer, for Zen Lifestyles Uk Ltd, promotes the "reviber BODYWAVE", a vibrating exercise device.

I suspect that the flyer may be in breach of one sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code (2010). I can provide the original flyer by post, if necessary.

1. The flyer claims that the advertised product can detox the body and improve the effectiveness of colonic (irrigation) treatments.

2. (i) Regarding detox treatments, Professor Edzard Ernst has written [1]:

"Conclusion: Detox, as used in alternative medicine, is based on ill-conceived ideas about human physiology, metabolism, toxicology, etc. There is no evidence that it does any good and some treatments, such as chelation and colonic irrigation...can be harmful. The only substance that is being removed from a patient is usually money."

(ii) Regarding colonic therapies, Ernst writes [2]:

"Conclusion: Colonic irrigation is unpleasant, ineffective and dangerous. In other words, it's a waste of money and a hazard to our health."

3. Under Section 12.1 of the CAP Code (2010), I challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate any of the following claims:

(i) "Therapists use the Reviber Bodywave to...detox their clients"

(ii) "The Bodywave may help your body's natural detoxification processes by enhancing lymphatic circulation (the body's natural detox system) and aiding abdominal peristalsis (digestion)"

(iii) "The Bodywave is often used before colonic therapies because it improves the effectiveness of the colonic treatment"

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

Footnotes:

[1] Simon Singh, Edzard Ernst, "Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial", 1st American Edition 2008, p308
[2] Ibid., p304
"

Boots - High Street Quackery

Boots, the high street apothecary familiar to us all, supplement their shelves (and their bottom line) with a dazzling array of complementary medicines.

(Image credit)

Another term for complementary medicines is, of course, "quack miracle potions".

The fantastic Simon Perry and Nic Woolhouse tried to take the matter up with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), complaining that the Boots website was making dubious claims for over two hundred of its products.

The complaint didn't get very far, so now Simon is asking everyone to help him take up the matter with Trading Standards - where multiple complaints make a big, big difference.

Here is my complaint, regarding the so-called BioFirm Danish Detox Plan. If the name is familiar, it could because I've written about it before.

I hope everyone will give Simon a hand - it only takes a few moments to submit a complaint.

"I write to complain about Boots who, I suspect, are making false medical claims on their website.

For example, the "BioFirm Danish Detox Plan" product [1] is claimed to be an "effective formula" which "naturally supports the body’s own internal processes of elimination and detoxification".

I think this claim cannot be substantiated. In March this year, I complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) about the same product, which was being advertised by a different company.

On that occasion, the advert boasted that "The Biofirm Danish Detox Plan supports your body to deal with toxins", but on 27th April the ASA wrote to tell me:

"You may not be surprised to learn that this ad has already come to our attention and we received an assurance at the end of February that this ad would not appear again."

The UK's leading authority on complementary medicine, Professor Edzard Ernst, has recently written about "detox" therapies [2]:

"Detox, as used in alternative medicine, is based on ill-conceived ideas about human physiology, metabolism, toxicology etc. There is no evidence that it does any good and some treatments...can be harmful. The only substance that is being removed from a patient is usually money."

Unless Boots can provide robust clinical evidence that the "BioFirm Danish Detox Plan" can "suppport the body's...detoxification", I complain that Boots have made false medical claims, in breach of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPR) 2008. As you know, the regulations require companies to be able to substantiate any such claims they make with evidence.

I have compiled a list of two hundred similar dubious medical claims on the Boots website. To assist you with your prompt enquiries, I have decided to submit a single complaint, rather than two hundred and forty separate ones.

Footnotes:

[1] http://www.boots.com/en/BioFirm-Danish-Detox-Plan-90-Tablets_10643/
[2] Edzard Ernst, Simon Singh, "Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial", p308. ISBN 978-0-393-06661-6.
"

*Biofirm Danish Detox Plan - detox in a box

New Nordic are the manufacturers of this bespoke "detox plan", advertised in this month's Natural Health magazine.

UPDATE, 27 APR: ASA reply "You may not be surprised to learn that this ad has already come to our attention and we received an assurance at the end of February that this ad would not appear again. However, we understand from the publication that the advertisers would have needed to cancel the ad by 19 February to prevent it from appearing in the April edition. As the assurance was provided after the deadline to pull ads, we do not intend to pursue your complaint further on this occasion."

(Image credit)

Unfortunately, I understand that there is no evidence that "detox" regimes are anything more than elaborate fairy stories. I have put my concerns to the ASA.

"I write to complain about an advert in “Natural Health" Magazine (April 2010, page 24), which promotes the "Biofirm Danish Detox Plan".

I suspect that the advert may be in breach of three sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code.

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

1. 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."

2. 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..."

3. I challenge whether the advertiser holds documentary evidence to prove any of the following claims, and I challenge whether the claims are backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of clinical trials conducted on people:

(i) The Biofirm Danish Detox Plan supports your body to deal with toxins

(ii) Users of the Biofirm Danish Detox Plan who experience headaches, spots on the skin and increased bowel movements during the first few days can be confident that "detox is working"

(iii) The Biofirm Danish Detox Plan prevents buildups of fluid and waste material for those users with unhealthy diets

(iv) Detoxification is greatly helped by drinking mineral water

(v) Detoxification is greatly helped by eating "organically-produced foods"

(vi) The Bioform Danish Detox Plan is safe

4. The CAP Code, Section 40.3, states "Testimonials alone do not constitute substantiation and the opinions expressed in them must be supported, where necessary, with independent evidence of their accuracy..."

5. I challenge whether the following opinions expressed in the advert's testimonial are supported, where necessary, with independent evidence of their accuracy:

(i) The Biofirm Danish Detox Plan is a "natural detoxification course"

(ii) The Biofirm Danish Detox Plan can help to "rid [someone's] body of
of rubbish [in combination with a healthier diet]"

6. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser, with the magazine, or with the publishing and alternative medicine industries in general. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser or the magazine.

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

*Kindred Spirit Magazine - Mail-Order Woo

In common with many of the specialist "spiritual" magazines, Kindred Spirit devotes several pages to promote its online mail-order service.

UPDATE, 23 Jun: The ASA have adjudicated on my complaint, and upheld it in full.

UPDATE, 29 Apr: ASA report some of the ads have been passed to their compliance team; namely, the electromagnetic "harmonisers", the "Pyramid de Vie", the "Script Symbol Reiki Necklace", and the "Detox" foot patches (claims of expelling toxins and improving circulation only).

(Image credit)

Of the forty-nine items on offer this month, I reckon at least nine of them breach the ASA's code of practice. (Scans of the relevant pages are available here, here, here and here.)

"I write to complain about an eight-page advertising feature in “Kindred Spirit” magazine (March/April 2010, pages 50-57), which promotes the magazine's online mail-order service, www.kindredspirit.co.uk

I refer here only to the contents of the advert, not to the website. I suspect that the advert makes multiple breaches of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code.

I confirm that I have no connections to the advertiser or the magazine, and am not involved in legal proceedings with either of them. I confirm that I am happy to be identified as the complainant.

I enclose scans of the relevant pages.

Under sections 3.1 and 50.1 of the code, I challenge whether www.kindredspirit.co.uk hold documentary evidence to prove any of the following claims, and I challenge whether the claims are backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people:

Item 1: Electromagnetic Harmonisers for computer or mobile phone

(1) The direct claim that the disc “naturally harmonises emissions from electronics [devices]"

(2) The implied claim that the disc has health benefits for users of electronic devices

Item 15: “Pyramid de Vie”

(4) The claim that the pendant “releases [i.e. reduces] pain, enhances body bio fields [sic]” and “keeps you rejuvenated”

(5) The claim that the pendant contains minerals which are “energy-giving”

Item 16: "Detox Foot Patches"

(6) The claim that by using the patches, "overnight toxins are expelled"

Item 17: "Warm Detox Foot Patches"

(7) The implied claim that the patches are beneficial for people with poor circulation

(8) The direct claim the patches "help soothe aches and pains"

Item 18: "Aqua-Vortex"

(9) The claim that the device can "re-energise water and drinks...by replicating effects found in nature"

Item 19: "Hopi Ear Candles"

(10) The direct claim that Hopi Ear Candles are in any way related to the Hopi (Navajo) tribe of Nevada, USA

(11) The claim that the candles are "helpful for earache and headache, ear noise, stress" and are beneficial for "nasal breathing" and the "sense of smell"

Item 20: "Vega Whole Food Meal Replacement"

(12) Since the manufacturer's website disagrees, the direct claim that a serving contains 24 calories

(13) The implied claim that a typical consumer, who requires 2000-3000 calories a day, can get a "complete meal" from one 24 (or, indeed, 240) calorie serving

(14) The direct claim that a 24 (or, indeed, 240) calorie serving is an "excellent choice for those on a calorie-reduced diet"

Item 21: "Trayner Pinhole Glasses"

(15) The claim that the glasses "improve your eyesight and [help you] learn to see better without glasses", and that "15 minutes will train your eyes and relieve eye strain"

Item 27: "Script Symbol Reiki Necklace"

(16) The claim that the necklace can "promote health and balance"