camclub August News Stories

• CAM delegation given brush-off at emergency ASA meeting
• CAM professor attacks Prince Charles
• Journal ignites Aussie CAM row
• National diet survey exposes children’s poor eating habits
• Study shows half of Alzheimer’s cases preventable
• OTB ‘disappointed’ by ad ban
• M&S ups the vitamins (and minerals)
• Eterno Naturals Go Out on the Road!

CAM delegation given brush-off at emergency ASA meeting

A joint delegation from the Alliance for Natural Health International (ANH-Intl) and the Complementary Medicine Association (CMA) says it was given the brush-off when it met with the Advertising Standards Authority last week (Friday July 29).

The emergency meeting had been called by the two bodies to discuss the ASA’s recent clampdown on CAM advertising and health claims on practitioner websites. The CMA says that many of its members have received “threatening” letter from the ASA leading to some concluding that they will have to close their practices.

But at the meeting, the ANH-Intl/CMA delegation says its concerns were “brushed off” by the ASA representatives who told them “You don’t need to worry. This is what we do. We deal with advertising complaints in all areas from roofing to guttering. We can’t be experts in everything, but we work to standards across all areas.”

When the delegation questioned the ASA on its competency in the area of health and practitioner-patient interactions, its team reportedly gave “defensive” answers and failed to demonstrate that scientifically qualified staff had been involved in its investigations and rulings on CAM practitioners.

ANH-Intl’s Dr Robert Verkerk said after the meeting: “Evaluating the extremely complex processes that occur when practitioners and patients interact is not something that we think can be done by a non-scientist. Human metabolism is complex enough, yet you have another dimension of complexity when you’re looking at the practitioner–patient relationship.”

Commenting on what he called the “non-transparent procedure used by the ASA”, Verkerk added: “I was astounded to find that the ASA appeared to have no comprehensive and transparent system of evaluation. It evaluates complaints in isolation, using only the evidence given to them by the advertiser. The ASA also told us that no practitioners had given evidence in response to a complaint, whereas both ANH-Intl and the CMA are aware of evidence having been submitted.”

CMA president, Jayney Goddard, said: “We have asked our members how they feel when they get a letter from the ASA and many feel threatened and intimidated, with some being concerned that they may be sent to jail if they don’t comply. It’s not surprising that some practitioners feel they have no option but to shut down their practice.”

The two groups representing CAM liken the ASA’s approach — which they describe as being “in conjunction with that of the anti-CAM skeptic group, the Nightingale Collaboration” — to be akin to a “witch-hunt” against CAM practitioners.

“If the basis of adjudications was transparent and took into account the full gamut of evidence, we would not be so concerned,” added Jayney Goddard, “but what we have here is an independent watchdog that appears incompetent to evaluate the field of CAM. Not only that, but the ASA is now dealing with a greatly increased level of complaints from the over-zealous, CAM-skeptic Nightingale Collaboration. Practitioner–patient relationships can’t, unfortunately, be evaluated in the same way as roofs and guttering.”

CAM professor attacks Prince Charles

Prince Charles has been branded a ‘snake-oil salesman’ by the professor who helped set up Exeter University’s Centre for Complementary Medicine, reports The Daily Mail.

Professor Edzard Ernst, who recently left his post at the university after a row over funding, claimed that the prince was attempting to smuggle ‘unproven and disproven’ remedies into the NHS.

Professor Ernst told a conference in London that around 20 complementary therapies were useful for various conditions, including Co-enzyme Q10 supplements for high blood pressure and St John’s wort for depression.

But he added that evidence was lacking for other alternative therapies such as homeopathy.

He claimed that these remedies were being promoted by ‘snake-oil salesmen and pseudo scientists’ and were dangerous to the public.

In a comment for The Journal of Internal Medicine, he wrote:
‘At best, integrative medicine is well meaning but naive, at worst it represents muddled or even fraudulent concepts with little potential to serve the needs of patients.’

It’s not the first time the two have clashed. The professor accused Prince Charles of ‘exploiting a gullible public’ when he put his name to a detox treatment.

Journal ignites Aussie CAM row

The Medical Journal of Australia has sparked a full-blown row with the publication of opposing opinion pieces weighing in on both sides of the CAM debate.

In the latest issue Melbourne GP Marie Pirotta writes that as over half of Australians use alternative therapies every year it was “important for GPs to discuss CAM options with patients to ethically fulfil their role as trusted primary care providers”.

In opposition Sydney professor John Dwyer writes that some doctors were “responding to commercial opportunities to capitalise on the popularity of complementary approaches”.

The debate has attracted a contribution from Kerryn Phelps, one-time president of the Australian Medical Association.

“I see this as prejudice dressed up as opinion,” she writes. “It’s completely unbalanced, completely out of touch, and it’s in denial of the level of scientific research that’s in this area now.”

National diet survey exposes children’s poor eating habits
A new government survey shows that while adults are eating close to the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables, many children’s diets are low in fruit and veg and contain too much saturated fat.

The survey also identifies deficiencies in mineral and some vitamin intakes

The findings of the latest National Diet and Nutrition Surveys (NDNS) have prompted the Department of Health to warn that poor eating habits among children “risk storing up a number of potential problems for later life, such as heart disease and some cancers”.

The Children’s Food Campaign seized on the survey’s findings to attack Coalition plans to invite big food brands to take part in the NHS Change4lLife initiative. Its co-ordinator, Kawther Hashem, told The Guardian: “It is ridiculous for government to argue that companies like Mars, McDonald’s, PepsiCo and Pizza Hut should write the government’s health policies. They have no interest in young people eating more fruit and vegetables. They make their profits peddling sweets, fizzy drinks and processed foods.”

The NDNS survey, which looked at the food consumption and nutrient intakes of 2126 participants using a four-day food diary, found that:

• adults aged 19-64 on average consumed 4.2 portions of fruit and veg a day (with older adults averaging 4.4 portions — but just 30 per cent of adults and 37% of older adults achieved the full 5-a-day recommendation

• The consumption of oily fish was well below the recommended one portion per week in all age groups.

• Intakes of saturated were higher than officially recommended in all age groups

• Mean intake of vitamins (except vitamin D) were at, or above, Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI)

• Mean intakes of minerals from food sources were below the Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for some age groups, in particular children aged 11 to 18 years and a substantial proportion of this age group, particularly girls, had intakes below the Lower Reference Nutrient Intake (LRNI)

• A quarter of adults aged 19 to 64 years, and more than a third of adults aged 65 years and over, reported taking at least one dietary supplement during the four-day recording period.

Commenting on the survey findings, the executive director of the HFMA, Graham Keen, said: “This new survey by the Department of Health confirms what we have been saying all along, that basic guidelines, such as consuming adequate levels of fruit and vegetables every day, are being ignored by the majority of the population. However, it also confirms that there is widespread use of supplementation for providing key nutritional support, with 25% of the people taking at least one supplement each day.

“People need to take nutrition more seriously and the best nutritional solution for most is to eat as healthy a diet as possible, combined with the adoption of other health-related lifestyle changes. Vitamin and mineral supplements cannot undo unhealthy living, but combined with good lifestyle choices, can play an important role in promoting overall health and wellbeing.”

“In an ideal world, our diet would provide us with all the vitamins and minerals that our body needs. But this survey is yet another one which shows that a significant proportion of the UK population simply isn’t achieving nutritional sufficiency through diet alone. This is where food supplements show their true value.”

Study shows half of Alzheimer’s cases preventable

Researchers from San Francisco report than more than 50 per cent of Alzheimer’s disease cases were preventable through simple lifestyle changes.

The results were presented at the 2011 meeting of the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Paris. The top preventable factors included smoking, physical inactivity, depression, diabetes and obesity.

Lead researcher Deborah Barnes said: “What’s exciting is that this suggests that some very simple lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity and quitting smoking, could have a tremendous impact on preventing Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the United States and worldwide.”

OTB ‘disappointed’ by ad ban

The Organic Trade Board says it is “surprised and disappointed” at the decision of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to ban a high profile organic consumer advertisement.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that one of the two advertisements forming the initial stage of the Why I Love Organic campaign had breached the CAP Code on advertising.

The ad, which featured a man and his son in a pantomime cow costume and headlined “we love organic because we care about animals”, was challenged by a farmer and an agricultural surveyor.

In the ad, the man is quoted as saying: “I like to see myself as the brains of this outfit, even if my son doesn’t agree! But when he told me about organic, well, I never looked back. Organic means fewer drugs or antibiotics, it also means better conditions for animals so they get to thrive and grow more naturally. Surely that’s good for them and good for our peace of mind! We’re happy to pay a little extra for organic, because we believe that animals deserve a better life (this poor cow certainly does!)”.

The two complainants challenged whether the ad misleadingly implied that animals farmed in a non-organic way experienced lower welfare standards than those that were organically farmed.

The Organic Trade Board (OTB), which commissioned the ad from London agency Haygarth, provided extensive evidence to support its claim that animals in organic systems benefited from high welfare standards, with strict rules on how animals are kept, stocking densities and use of veterinary drugs. It also pointed out that organic is the only form of farming defined by EU law.

Whilst the ASA agreed that the evidence provided by OTB showed that organically farmed animals experienced high animal welfare conditions, it said it had been unable to show “in all cases” that organically farmed animals experienced better conditions than non-organically farmed animals. On that basis, the ASA judged that the ad was misleading and must not appear again in its current form.

Responding to the ASA’s decision, the OTB said that it was “pleased that the ASA has acknowledged the high standards to which organic farmers adhere to”, but “very disappointed and surprised at the change in the ruling about our current press campaign”. It point out also that the advertisement was approved by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and adhered to ASA guidelines.

M&S ups the vitamins (and minerals)

Marks & Spencer is expanding its range of vitamin and mineral enriched food products with the launch of a range of ‘super tomatoes’ fortified with selenium

A growing body of research has shown that immune system-boosting antioxidant may prevent some types of cancer. However, many people in the UK are not getting sufficient quantities of the mineral — found naturally in foods such as Brazil nuts, shellfish and liver — from their normal diet.

Dr Carina Norris, of the Nutrition Society, told the Daily Mail that the average person consumes well below the (daily) target of 60microgrammes for women and 75 for men.

M&S produce technologist Dr Simon Coupe told the paper: “We want to make it easy for our customers to eat healthily and our new tomatoes are win-win – the taste of summer with a boost for your immune system.”

The development comes hard on the heels of the retailer’s launch of a vitamin D-enriched milk, yoghurt and juice range.

Eterno Naturals Go Out on the Road!

Eterno Naturals, formerly known as Bodytox, are planning an exciting road show on the 12th, 13th and 14th of September in London, Birmingham and Manchester. The road show will be a fantastic day for therapists as well as anyone else interested in these unique Bach Flower and Ear Candling treatments. It is great to have this knowledge if you are selling these products so you can tell customers exactly how to use them effectively, ensuring repeat business!

During the morning you will learn about the benefits of Harmony Cone Ear Candles from Doc Harmony herself who will be travelling over from America. We will also be doing a live demonstration so you can learn exactly how to carry out this effective treatment.

Doc Harmony has 18 years Ear Candling experience. With a Doctorate in Natural Health, Harmony has dedicated her life to teaching and helping others understand the true benefits of alternative medicine. Since 1992 retailers have trusted Doc Harmony branded Ear Candles, one of the highest quality ranges of ear candles in the world and all handcrafted.

During the afternoon you will have the opportunity to learn from expert Gerald Wolf from Les Fleurs de Bach on the use of Bach Flower Essences. Gerard has been advising on Bach flowers for more than 20 years. He became a producer of Bach flower essences in 1991 and is the editor of several books on the topic. In 1993, he created the innovative company Les Fleurs de Bach and since then has continued to find new and special ways of using Bach Flowers. Today, he is renowned as one of the international specialists on Bach Flower essences.

Both of these amazing speakers are over in the UK exclusively for these one-off roadshows. This informative and exciting day all comes for just £39 for one person or £35 if 3 people book at once. For more information or to book your place please call 01376 310990 or email [email protected]. Places are limited so book now to avoid disappointment!

Locations

Monday 12th September

Browns Courtrooms, Covent Garden, London

Tuesday 13th September

Park Inn Birmingham West

Wednesday 14th September

Ramada Manchester Salford Quays