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Advertisement to stay at home prostate gland Cancer Tests That Claim to Offer diagnosisIncluding a suggestion that patients could “avoid doctors”. Banned by vigilantes.
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has Six online advertisements banned boost prostate supplements And home testing kits warn that they could “mislead vulnerable people” or lead them away from “appropriate medical advice”.
Four supplement brands, Nutrislim, Nutriance, Muxue Trade, and Impact Herbs, claimed that their products treat medical problems Such as enlarged prostate, urine flow problems or swelling in the prostate.
But regulators found that none of the products were authorized drugs, and food products, including supplements, are not allowed to make medical claims.
Advertisements from two companies promoting prostate home-testing kits – Self Check and LifeLab Testing – were also banned because they claimed that prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests could diagnose or rule out prostate cancer. But the PSA test alone can’t do this.
PSA is a protein produced by normal cells and prostate cancer cells in the prostate. Increased levels may indicate prostate problems, which in some cases may be related to cancer. However, the diagnosis is not the first step in deciding whether further tests are needed for prostate cancer.
A banned Facebook ad for the LifeLab test included the text “Skip doctors with rapid prostate home test kits”, which the ASA suggested could lead to the test being interpreted as a reliable diagnosis as seeing a doctor.
The company emphasized that the term only appeared on a limited campaign in July and was intended to help consumers skip wait times for appointments and initial testing, and not avoid consulting a doctor altogether.
Two advertisements for Self Check appeared on Google, one of which said customers could get “results in 10 minutes from home.” But the ASA said the ads should not appear again and suggested they “failed to make the boundaries clear”. It says people may interpret the ads as selling tests that can diagnose cancer, not just PSA levels.
According to the ASA, Google ads paid for by Nutrients state that their food supplements can prevent or treat human disease, including claims to treat or cure the symptoms of prostate problems.
But Nutrients said phrases like “urinary urge” and “urinary flow” in their ads reflect everyday experiences and general well-being that consumers typically associate with age or lifestyle factors without implying disease.
Nature’s Finest by Nutrislim UK paid for two meta advertisements and one advertisement on its website, which have been banned. One ad said, “Prostate problems.” […] Went with this simple drink. Another reference on its website stated that the supplement was “doctor-made”, which has since been removed.
The paid Meta ad for Impact Herbs also suggests that their supplements “may reduce nighttime bathroom visits, improving urine flow and bladder emptying.” Another advertisement from Muxue Trade suggested that its saw palmetto and nettle root supplements could reduce inflammation of the prostate, and improve blood flow.
The ASA banned advertising and told companies to make medicinal claims for products that were not authorized by the MHRA or make health claims for food products.
Jess Ty, regulatory project manager at the ASA, said: “When it comes to health, people deserve honesty. Misleading advertising about prostate supplements or tests can cause real harm, and today’s decisions take advertisers to heart. We are monitoring this area closely, using our AI tools to identify problematic ads as quickly as possible. And if anyone has any concerns about an ad they have seen, we encourage them to get in touch. Will do.”
Joseph Burt, head of diagnostics and general medical devices at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said: “The MHRA welcomes the ASA’s action to tackle misleading claims about PSA home-testing kits.
“At-home or over-the-counter PSA tests help members of the public monitor their prostate health, but are not a definitive test for prostate cancer. These tests should not claim to detect prostate cancer, and consumers should carefully check labeling and read directions for use.
“The MHRA has recognized the expansion of over-the-counter tests, including PSA tests.
“As part of our oversight of medical devices, we continue to monitor the safety of these devices. The manufacturers of these tests have an important role in ensuring that information about direct-to-consumer tests is kept in context for the general public who use these tests as well as in monitoring the use of the tests.”