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Controversial Church Caught Red Handed
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld three complaints from the newly formed Society for Science Based Healthcare today regarding misleading health claims.
The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, DailyDo and Pure Wellbeing have all been asked by the ASA to remove adverts that make misleading health claims.
The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, which was recently embroiled in controversy regarding claims that its holy oil could heal a variety of serious health problems, has had a second complaint upheld
against it. Bishop Victor Silva, when responding to a previous successful ASA complaint, had promised that:
“When we come to hold another similar event, we will take external advice as to the content of any promotional material
to doubly ensure that it is fully compliant with all regulation and that there is no chance of another complaint of this
nature.”
Despite these assurances, within 3 weeks of this promise the church sent out another advertisement for a “chain of
prayer” series of events. This advert claimed that “IT WORKS!” and that a “HEALING” session covered cases such as “When
doctors & medicines are not enough” and “incurable diseases”. A majority of the complaints board agreed that “the Advertiser had
presented their religious beliefs in evangelical healing as an absolute fact, rather than opinion, and may mislead and
deceive vulnerable people who may be suffering from any of the illnesses listed in the advertisement”. The board ruled
to uphold the complaint.
DailyDo, a daily deals website, advertised amber teething necklaces with phrases such as “Traditional homeopathic
treatment for teething babies, designed to help provide relief”. As the advertiser was unable to provide any evidence to
support their claims, the ASA ruled that “the advertisement was misleading and had not been prepared with the high standard of social responsibility
required for products with intended therapeutic use”.
This is the latest in a long series of successful complaints regarding misleading health claims about amber beads, which
resulted in a new ANZA guideline being written. In response to the complaint, the ASA has sent a copy of this guideline to other “one day deal” sites.
A number of advertisers of these products, such as Baa Baa Beads, have had complaints upheld against them but have refused to remove their misleading claims. Now that the Fair Trading
Act has been recently updated to prohibit unsubstantiated claims in trade, the Society for Science Based Healthcare
hopes that the Commerce Commission will step in to put a stop to claims such as these. The Society intends to file a complaint with the Commerce
Commission against companies that continue to make these misleading claims.
The Pure Wellbeing website advertised Detox Foot Patches, claiming that they could remove “toxins” and heavy metals “By
stimulating the reflexology points and the blood circulation”. Because the advertiser failed to provide any evidence
that the claims they were making were true, the complaints board ruled that the advertisement was misleading and must
therefore be removed, upholding the complaint made against it.
There were also two settled complaints from the Society for Science Based Healthcare, against a homeopathy advert by Ngaio Health and a colour therapy advert by Colour Therapy Manukau. Both companies had claimed that they were able to treat serious health conditions such as cancer, but did not
substantiate these claims. In both cases the company agreed to remove the claims.
The Society for Science Based Healthcare welcomes these decisions, and hopes that the advertisers involved will take
them to heart and refrain from making misleading health claims in the future. These are the latest in a long line of
complaints about misinformation regarding healthcare, and as there is still plenty of misinformation out there you can
expect to hear more from the Society in the future.
About SBH
The Society for Science Based Healthcare is a newly formed consumer advocacy group that aims to protect consumers’
rights to make informed healthcare decisions. Although the society itself is new, over the past 2 years its founders
have lodged over 50 successful complaints with the ASA regarding misleading health claims, dealing with products and
services ranging from chiropractic and acupuncture to magnetic mattress underlays and a quantum magnetic health analyser.
Society for Science Based Healthcare - http://sbh.org.nz
Advertising Standards Authority - http://www.asa.co.nz
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God - http://www.uckg.co.nz/
DailyDo - http://www.dailydo.co.nz/
Pure Wellbeing - http://www.purewellbeing.co.nz/
Upheld Complaints:
Settled Complaints: