Pharmacy to remove homeopathic product after complaint: The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a… http://t.co/JebbA6Cszj
— Christchurch News (@ChristchurchDay) October 10, 2014
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint regarding advertising of the homeopathic product “No-Jet-Lag” in an Auckland pharmacy. The complaint, which was lodged with the ASA by the Society for Science Based Healthcare in July, alleged that the advertisement’s claims about the product that “It Really Works” for “Homeopathic Jet Lag Prevention” were unsubstantiated and misleading.
In defense of their advertising the manufacturer of the product, Miers Laboratories submitted a study they had carried out regarding the product. However, the Advertising Standards Complaints Board said that:
“the trial population in the pilot study was small, the methodology was not robust and the results had not been published or peer reviewed. The Complaints Board also noted the study was an in-house trial conducted by the Advertiser rather than independent research.”
“Given the weaknesses in the study, the majority of the Complaints Board said the Advertiser had not satisfactorily substantiated the claim the product “really works” and, as such, the Complaints Board said the advertisement had the potential to mislead consumers. Consequently, the Complaints Board said the advertisement did not observe a high standard of social responsibility required of advertisements of this type.”As a result, the Complaints Board ruled to uphold the complaint.