CO-OPTATION by the authorities is the sincerest form of flattery for critics. Feedback is officially 鈥渃onsiderably chuffed鈥� that the UK鈥檚 Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has taken up our pastime of extracting the Michael from fruitloop claims (4 June).
Harris Steinman alerts us to an example. Leslie Kenton is promoter of the 鈥淐ura Romana鈥� weight-loss programme. Until recently, her website contained repeated references to the controversial slimming aid human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). Did this mean that the Essential Spray, a key part of the Cura Romana programme, contained hCG?
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No, no, not at all. Kenton explained to the ASA in August that: 鈥淭he Essential Spray used in the鈥� programme did not contain human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), and was physically nothing more than pure water and 25% ethanol鈥� [it] was not a medicinal product or a homeopathic formula, but was a vibrational essence that had itself been energised by several non-material vibrational essences including well-known gem essences.鈥� (See .)
Despite this ingenious defence, the ASA ruled that the Cura Romana website had 鈥渟trongly implied鈥� that the Essential Spray contained hCG, and that it promoted an unlicensed medicine. The ASA said that Kenton should not make claims that were incompatible with good nutritional practice.
Since the ruling Kenton has . It now says, much as she spun it at the ASA, that the spray has 鈥渂een transformed from an hCG-based homeopathic鈥� into a complex vibrational essence via a unique proprietary process similar to the way flower essences are created鈥�. So is it now ingredient-free?
Meanwhile, we discover in the list of rulings on that in Liverpool, UK, had been advertising a distinctly non-homeopathic nostrum: 鈥淒igital Thermal Imaging (DITI)鈥� detecting breast abnormalities a full 8-10 years before a mammogram.鈥� The person who complained to the ASA 鈥渃hallenged whether the ad misleadingly implied that DITI could detect the early signs of breast cancer鈥�.
The ASA showed on 19 October that it had the measure of such claims, challenging on its own initiative 鈥渨hether the ad was irresponsible, because it could discourage women from attending routine screenings for a condition for which medical supervision should be sought鈥�.
The ASA ruled against the clinic on both points. As far as we can tell, has now disappeared.
Defying Isaac Newton and other great minds, a notice outside a gym seen by Adrian Somerfield in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland, exhorted passers-by to: 鈥淒rop upstairs for details.鈥�
Is pulling earlobes good for the brain?
WHILE on the topic of homeopathy 鈥� we just can鈥檛 leave it alone, can we? 鈥� reader John Riedel suggests we look at the Australian Homeopathy Plus website and in particular at . This describes: 鈥淎 quick and easy exercise [that] improves poor memory, lack of concentration鈥� and emotional instability.鈥�
A video demonstrates the exercise, which consists of holding your earlobes (right ear with left hand, left ear with right hand) and doing squats. We found it very funny to watch, so thank you, John 鈥� though what holding one鈥檚 earlobes like this has to do with improving memory and concentration we cannot say. Come to that, what has it got to do with homeopathy?
A PRESS release emanating from Consolidated PR told Jeremy Condliffe about a UK schools鈥� competition to 鈥渨in the lesson of a lifetime with TV science star鈥�. Jeremy immediately passed the information on to Feedback.
Last year, the press release said, thousands of schools competed to win a 鈥淏ig Bang鈥� lesson from TV pundit Brian Cox. Now, once again: 鈥淏rian Cox is on a mission to turn one lucky school class into budding astrologers as he returns for The Big Bang Lesson: Take 2.鈥�
This press release was quoted at length on until someone noticed the howler and corrected 鈥渁strologers鈥� to 鈥渁stronomers鈥�.
鈥淎RE they using quantum materials?鈥� Jacob Tougaard wonders. In the instructions for his new Canon Pixma MP282 printer, Jacob noted that he should remove the protective materials it came wrapped in. Then came this warning: 鈥淭he tape and protective materials may differ in shape and position from what they actually are.鈥�
FINALLY, the two blocks of Mainland butter New Zealander Michael Strawson bought in his local New World supermarket had different labels. One said it was 鈥淯nsalted鈥�, the other identified itself as 鈥淣atural鈥�.
鈥淪o the food industry in New Zealand defines 鈥榥atural鈥� as meaning 鈥榳ith added salt鈥�,鈥� Michael observes. 鈥淣o wonder we have so much of the stuff in our diet.鈥�