Herbalist Exemption Under Review

Section 12 (1) of the Medicines Act is commonly referred to as the ‘herbalist exemption’ and permits unlicensed remedies to be made up and supplied by a practitioner to meet the needs of an individual patient following a one to one consultation.

The existence of this regime is greatly valued by herbal practitioners and by many members of the public. However, there are widely acknowledged weaknesses in the public health protection afforded by the regime.

Section (12) 1 remedies are not subject to a regime of specific safety or quality requirements. There are no restrictions in terms of those who operate under the regime. Anyone - irrespective of qualifications or experience - can practise herbal medicine and, after, making a diagnosis and forming a judgement about the treatment required, can make up and supply an unlicensed herbal medicine under Section 12 (1). A number of public health risks associated with the supply of herbal medicines by practitioners have been identified. Some of the safety concerns that have been identified are highlighted in the ‘Herbal Safety News’ section of the MHRA website.

Proposals for reform
The MHRA has been considering proposals for reform of Section 12 (1). The proposals for reform are being developed alongside proposals for the statutory regulation of the herbal medicine profession and build on the responses received to the consultation exercise which took place in 2004. The Department of Health is leading on regulation of the herbal medicine profession.

Informal discussion papers
In advance of the formal consultation exercise, informal discussion papers on key aspects of the proposals for reform have been prepared and have been circulated to a range of stakeholders. The documents are available below.

Comments on the papers are invited by 30th March 2007. Comments should be sent to Caroline Brennan at MHRA. The e-mail address is caroline.brennan@mhra.gsi.gov.uk.

Further information is available in the following section:
http://www.mhra.gov.uk/home/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=659

FHT Unveils New Website

The Federation of Holistic Therapists has introduced a comprehensive new website which effectively represents the forward-facing organisation it has become. www.fht.org.uk reveals a contemporary new look for the FHT and contains layer upon layer of essential information for both the practicing therapist and members of the public.

Functionality and ease of use are central to the development of this new site. Site users will be able to find their way around simply and will have access to vital industry information in a matter of a few clicks. At the hub of the site is a 'knowledge tree', a central reference point for all types of information covering all levels of interest and expertise. The 'knowledge tree' serves as an effective portal to a wide range of articles, including academic research articles to accounts of treatments from practicing therapists. Forums and appropriate links will also be presented in response to relevant search terms.

The relevance of the text on the website has been developed as a priority and the entire site has been built with an integral Content Management System. This means that the FHT will be able to update the content on a daily, even hourly basis. Therefore details of training courses and booking availability will be kept up to the minute and there are also plans to enable the site to take bookings online.
This will give members the ability to book on to their preferred course round the clock, without having to wait on the end of a telephone line. The content of the site will also be populated with topical comments and press stories of interest to the FHT Membership.

The site has also been developed with a database of members, which will help the general public locate FHT members who offer the therapy or treatment they are looking for in the region they require. After typing in their search criteria, site users will be presented with a list of all appropriate members. When they click on any of these names they will get a brief description of the therapist and their complete contact details. In addition, the site will also contain detailed definitions of all existing and emerging therapies, detailing the benefits and suitable training.

The site is being developed over three phases over 2006 and 2007. The development of http://www.fht.org.uk is just one of the initiatives in the FHTs improved Membership services. Other initiatives include a strengthened Local Support Group Network and an improved exhibition presence.

Get Totally CAM!

The dates have been announced for this year's Total CAM Show Brighton - March 11th & 12th 2007.

The first Total CAM show was launched at the Natural Trade Show Brighton 2006 and it's back this year and bigger than ever. The CAM practitioner has always been a key part of the Natural Trade Shows and now they have their own show devoted to the needs of professional practitioners.

The Total CAM Show will provide the ideal environment to welcome an audience of CAM practitioners from all modalities and for suppliers to meet serious buyers. For the CAM practitioners it will offer the opportunity to meet the best product and service providers and take advantage of the dedicated CAM education programme.

This year don't miss:
* Patrick Holford, world renowned author and nutritionist
* Dr Marilyn Glenville, respected author on women's health care and broadcaster
* Janey Lee Grace, author and BBC radio 2 presenter
* Dr Thomas Stuttaford, The Times medical expert
* Dr Mark Atkinson, integrated medical physician and founder of The Whole Body Healing Centre
* Kate Neil, Director of CNELM, Nutritional Therapist, author and Editor of the professional journal The Nutrition Practitioner, with more to be announced nearer the time.
* Leon Chaitow, holistic doctor

With the show's ability to provide the newest products from the most innovative exhibitors, an outstanding education programme, the opportunity to meet with colleagues in an atmosphere both relaxing and conducive to business, the Total Cam Show is a must for the UK CAM community.

Register free online at http://www.totalcamshow.com or call 01923 690699.

Parasites 'May Help MS Patients'

Having millions of parasites living in your gut may actually be a benefit if you also have multiple sclerosis, a study has found.

The methods used by the creatures to stop our immune systems wiping them out could be keeping the illness at bay.

Argentinian scientists looked at 24 MS patients - some with parasitic infections, and some without.

The Annals of Neurology study found the parasite-riddled group had far fewer MS 'relapses'. This is the first study to report chronic exposure to parasites as an environmental factor altering the course of MS in humans.

MS is caused when the body's own immune system turns on the protein sheaths around some of our nerves.

Most patients suffer a form called 'relapsing-remitting' MS, in which long periods of stability are punctuated by relapses that involve far more severe symptoms, and which can lead to worsening of day-to-day disability.

Relapse rate
While the cause of the immune attack is not fully understood, many treatments involve suppressing the body's immune system to keep it under control, even though this may cause unwanted side-effects.

Parasites also have to suppress the effects immune system to thrive, and the researchers from the Institute of Neurological Research in Buenos Aires wanted to find out whether this had any knock-on effect on MS.

They looked at 12 patients with relapsing-remitting MS who had been diagnosed with intestinal parasites, and 12 with the same condition - but no parasites.
The infected patients were infested with a variety of different species - tapeworms, nematode worms, whipworms and pinworms.

On average, the patients were then followed for more than four years to see how many relapses they suffered during that period.

In the parasite-free group, there were 56 relapses in total, while in those carrying parasites, there were only three.

When the disability levels of the patients were assessed, in the parasite group, only a few had suffered any increase in disability, while most in the non-parasite group were more disabled on a day-to-day basis.

The scientists said it was possible that the parasites were able to influence the production of T-cells - cells which ‘dampen down’ immune reactions within the body, both ensuring their success, and reducing ‘autoimmune’ illnesses such as MS.

‘To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report chronic exposure to parasites as an environmental factor altering the course of MS in humans,’ they wrote.

Rival Farmers Enter Row over Minister's Claims

Organic farmers have hit back over a government minister's claims that their produce is no healthier than food grown conventionally.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, David Miliband said there was no conclusive evidence that organic food was better than products grown by conventional methods.

He described organic produce as 'a lifestyle choice' and said that food grown with the use of pesticides and other chemicals should not be regarded as second-best.

But Pete Glanville, Secretary of the Shetland Organic Producers Group, which farms vegetables and sheep, said: 'You only have to look at the list of things that goes into creating lots of things to realise just how much we are not putting into our bodies by eating organic.'

No chemicals
Liz Lawrence, from the website http://www.faceofflowers.com, which specialises in organic produce said: 'Organic produce is the only legally guaranteed food that you know what you're getting, you know there's no chemicals in there. To sell organic produce you have to be registered and you're inspected very thoroughly.'

The Soil Association, which promotes organic farming, says that sales of organic food increased by 30 per cent to £1.6 billion in the UK last year.

Campaigns Director Robin Maynard said: 'It has been shown over the years that there is a difference between food produced organically and that produced using industrial methods.'

Mr Maynard admitted there was a lack of studies showing how organic food could be healthier, but research had shown higher levels of Vitamin C in organic produce, and recent research into organic milk had proved it contained higher levels of Omega 3.

'No evidence'
But the National Farmer's Union (NFU) threw its weight behind Mr Miliband.
NFU President Peter Kendall said he had seen 'no evidence' to prove organic food is healthier.

He added: 'If there's a small but growing percentage of consumers who want a different product, then that's a great opportunity for members.'

The Food Standards Agency said they were neither for nor against organic food, and consumers may choose to buy it for many reasons, including concern for the environment and animal welfare.

A spokeswoman added: 'Consumers may also choose to buy organic food because they believe that it is safer and more nutritious than other food. However, the balance of current scientific evidence does not support this view.'

Tomato Plus Broccoli - Added Benefits for Prostates?

Tomatoes and broccoli, independently known for their anti-cancer benefits, may have an extra effect against prostate cancer when both are part of the daily diet than when they're eaten alone, if results from an animal study can be replicated in humans.

‘When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see an additive effect. We think it's because different bioactive compounds in each food work on different anti-cancer pathways,’ said lead researcher, John Erdman from the University of Illinois.

Writing in the January 15 issue of Cancer Research, Erdman and his co-workers report that lab rats with implanted prostate cancer cells fed a diet containing 10 per cent tomato powder and 10 per cent broccoli powder, the cancers had shrunk significantly more than the cancers in rats fed a control diet or a diet containing only broccoli or tomato powder, or supplemented with lycopene.

‘The combination of tomato and broccoli was more effective at slowing tumour growth that either tomato or broccoli alone and supports the public health recommendations to increase the intake of a variety of plant components,’ wrote the researchers.

The mechanism behind the apparent benefits, they said, is that the phytochemicals present in the vegetables, like lycopene in tomatoes and glucosinolates in broccoli, could induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in the cancer cells.

Further studies are needed to verify these findings, with a particular need for human studies: ‘These findings provide support for future human prevention trials based on dietary interventions,’ they said.

The researchers suggested that, based on the current results, a 55-year-old man concerned about prostate health could benefit by increasing their intake of the vegetables.

‘To get these effects, men should consume daily 1.4 cups of raw broccoli and 2.5 cups of fresh tomato, or 1 cup of tomato sauce, or half a cup of tomato paste. I think it's very doable for a man to eat a cup and a half of broccoli per day or put broccoli on a pizza with half a cup of tomato paste,’ said lead author Kirstie Canene-Adams in a release.

Prof. Erdman said the study showed that eating whole foods is better than consuming their components: ‘It's better to eat tomatoes than to take a lycopene supplement. And cooked tomatoes may be better than raw tomatoes. Chopping and heating make the cancer-fighting constituents of tomatoes and broccoli more bioavailable.’

‘When tomatoes are cooked, for example, the water is removed and the healthful parts become more concentrated. That doesn't mean you should stay away from fresh produce. The lesson here, I think, is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables prepared in a variety of ways,’ added Canene-Adams.

Commentingon the research, Dr Julie Sharp, cancer information manager at British charity, Cancer Research UK, said: ‘While this work supports previous suggestions that both broccoli and tomatoes may contain chemicals with anticancer properties, their effects in humans are still unclear. This research has been done in the laboratory but studies of these vegetables in large numbers of people have produced conflicting results.

‘However we do know that a healthy balanced diet can help to reduce the risk of cancer and should include plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. Eating tomatoes and broccoli could help people get their five portions a day.’

Article on http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com

Source: Cancer Research
January 15, 2007, Volume 67, Pages 836-843
‘Combinations of tomato and broccoli enhance antitumor activity in Dunning R3327-H prostate adenocarcinomas’
Authors: K. Canene-Adams, B.L. Lindshield, E.H. Jeffery, and J.W. Erdman

Calcium Offers Prolonged Protection from Colorectal Cancer, says Study

The potential protective effects of calcium supplements against colorectal cancer may carry on for five years after people stop taking the supplements, research has revealed.

The Calcium Follow-up Study, an observational study that followed the Calcium Polyp Prevention Study, found that people from the original calcium supplementation group had a significant 12 per cent lower risk of any adenoma five years after the original supplements were stopped, compared to people from the placebo group.

‘The protective effect of calcium supplementation on risk of colorectal adenoma recurrence extends up to five years after cessation, even in the absence of continued supplementation,’ wrote lead author Maria Grau from Dartmouth Medical School in the US.

Colorectal cancer accounts for nine per cent of new cancer cases every year worldwide. The highest incidence rates are in the developed world, while Asia and Africa have the lowest incidence rates.

It remains one of the most curable cancers if diagnosis is made early.
In the Calcium Polyp Prevention Study, 930 people with a recent adenoma were randomly assigned to receive four years of daily 1200-milligram calcium supplements or a placebo. The study revealed that those assigned to calcium supplements had a 17 per cent lower relative risk of an adenoma recurrence than those who got the placebo.

The new research, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, used data on 822 of the original 930 subjects from the Calcium Polyp Prevention Study. Of these subjects, 597 underwent at least one colonoscopy exam, and completed follow-up questionnaires.

Full Article can be found at:
http://www.nutraingredientsusa.com/news/ng.asp?n=73413&m=1NIU117&c=pweesgbmfrikghr

Source: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Volume 99, Pages 129-136
‘Prolonged effect of calcium supplementation on risk of colorectal adenomas in a randomised trial’
Authors: M.V. Grau, J.A. Baron, R.S. Sandler, K. Wallace, R.W. Haile, T.R. Church, G.J. Beck, R.W. Summers, E.L. Barry, B.F. Cole, D.C. Snover, R. Rothstein, J.S. Mandel

Editorial: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Volume 99, Pages 99-100
‘Calcium supplementation and prevention of colorectal neoplasia: lessons from clinical trials’
Authors: M.E. Martinez, E.T. Jacobs

Australian Cancer Organisation Warns Breast Cancer Patients to Avoid Soy

The Cancer Council of New South Wales recently announced that it will change its position on consumption of soy products in response to growing public debate over their safety, according to The Age.

Although moderate amounts of soy foods can be beneficial as part of a healthy diet - much like fruits and vegetables - the Cancer Council is set to release a statement urging cancer survivors and patients to use caution when consuming soy supplements or foods.

‘In terms of people eating soy foods, people need to remember that it's come from a plant and eating a variety of fruit and vegetables is part of a healthy diet,’ said Cancer Council nutritionist Kathy Chapman. ‘Definitely, soy foods can be a part of it, but a diet stops being healthy when that's the only thing you're consuming, when you start consuming one particular food over another.’

Chapman and the Council warned that women who currently have breast cancer, or who have survived breast cancer, should probably avoid soy products, as it could interfere with treatment or possibly stimulate growth of breast tumors.

Previous research has indicated that phytoestrogens found in soybean products can mimic the hormone estrogen in the body, which could possibly promote growth of hormone-affected cancers with long-term exposure.

‘What breast cancer survivors should be concerned about is that they are often the group that are very motivated to change their diets,’ Chapman said. ‘In an extreme case, where somebody might start not having had any [soy] and then start consuming large quantities in their diet, that could be a problem.’

According to consumer health advocate Mike Adams, author of ‘The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D,’ consumers should be cautious when consuming most commercial soy products.

‘I am increasingly advising readers to avoid soy products for many reasons,’ Adams said. ‘Soy production farms are devastating the Amazon rainforest, and most soy sold in the United States is genetically modified. Organically raised, fermented soy products can assist in good health, but most of the soy people are consuming is processed, GM soy.’

Vitamin C for Cancer Therapy Gets FDA OK

Federal approval of a clinical trial on intravenous vitamin C as a cancer treatment lends credence to alternative cancer care, U.S. researchers said.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America said it won Food and Drug Administration approval to begin the trial, a move the Illinois-based hospital group said adds credibility to its research into alternative methods for cancer medical care, the Chicago Tribune said Thursday. It is the first FDA-approved trial for CTCA.

Just a few patients will be eligible, said Christopher Lis, the firm's vice president of research and development.

‘Only patients who have exhausted all other conventional treatment options are eligible to receive the therapy,’ Lis said.

The first phase will be to determine the optimal dose for the patients and to learn whether the treatment is safe and can be tolerated, Lis said. Additional studies over several years would be needed to demonstrate whether it is effective.

Earlier studies conducted with vitamin C supplements administered orally did not to demonstrate a clinical benefit to cancer patients.

Cancer Treatment Centers, with facilities in Illinois, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, provides traditional and alternative treatment for cancer patients.

Capsaicin Found in Chillies Can Kill Cancer Cells Safely

UK scientists have shown that capsaicin, the chemical that burns your mouth when you eat chillies and an active ingredient of over the counter drugs, can kill cancer cells with little or no harmful side-effects.

The study is published in the journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.

The team that conducted the research came from the Universities of Nottingham in England and Cardiff, in Wales, and was led by Dr Timothy Bates, who is a member of the Medical Research Council (MRC) College of Experts.

The researchers believe that capsaicin, and other similar compounds, attack the mitochondria of cancerous cells, causing them to ‘switch off’ and die (apoptosis, or cell death) without harming surrounding tissue. Mitochondria are organelles (tiny granules of tissue with their own DNA) that live inside the cells of our bodies and convert nutrients into ATP - the chemical fuel that feeds our cells with energy.

Dr Bates, who is an international expert in anti-cancer drug development and mitochondrial research in particular, said this discovery might explain the low incidence of cancer in countries where they eat a lot of chillies like Mexico and India.

From a development view this discovery is exciting for two reasons. First, because capsaicin and related compounds already exist in food that is eaten regularly, they are already safe, readily available and not unknown. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly as far as development costs and timescales go, these compounds have already been approved for use in a range of drugs such as skin ointments to treat psoriasis and neuralgia. Converting their use to treat cancer would be much cheaper and quicker compared to starting from scratch with a new compound.

Dr Bates and his colleagues tested the capsaicin on H460 human lung cancer cells, which is recognised as the ‘gold standard’ for new anti-cancer drugs. However, they also tested similar compounds on pancreatic cancer cells and found the same effect - the tumour cells died off leaving the surrounding tissue intact. This is a very exciting result because pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate of less than one per cent and is currently one of the most stubborn cancers to treat.

The study that led to this discovery is the first to emerge from a newly formed Nottingham UK-China Collaboration on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NUKCAM). The collaboration has members from the University of Nottingham and the Chinese National Academy of Sciences, for example Professor De-An Guo, who is head of the Shanghai Research Centre for the Modernisation of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Prof Guo is working with Dr Bates to discover why traditional Chinese medicines are successful in treating cancer and other diseases.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is considered an alternative medicine in the west. But in China it is an important part of the public health care system.

The last twenty or so years have seen an increasing interest on the part of the West and China to come together and explore this wealth of knowledge that dates back thousands of years. The main thrust of joint projects, like this one, is to examine the theories and uses of TCM using western scientific methods and tools.

Another important milestone in this East-West collaboration will be when The World Health Organisation's (WHO) initiative to to standardise TCM nomenclature reaches conclusion. It is said to be in its final phases, and there is a paper on this by Tony Reid in the The Journal of Chinese Medicine.

As lovers of Sichuan food and dishes will know, chillies do feature prominently in the Chinese diet, and apart from adding fire and flavour are believed by local followers of Chinese medicine to help ward off the ills caused by their damp and muggy climate.

Web: http://www.nutritionhorizon.com

Red Meat Increases Diabetics' Heart Disease Risk

New research by Harvard researchers has found that diabetics' risk of coronary heart disease shoots up by 50% on account of heavy consumption of red meat and intake of heme iron in the diet.

6,161 women with diagnosed type-2 diabetes were studied as part of the Nurses Health Study. Effects of red meat and dietary iron intake on the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) were studied as part of the research. Dietary iron intake can be in the form of heme iron from red meat, poultry, and seafood. It can also be non-heme from either animal or plant foods.

Estimates suggest nearly 4% of the total EU population or an estimated 19 million people suffer from diabetes today. The figure is expected to reach 26 million by 2030. The numbers for the US are even higher at 7% of the total population or 20 million people.

Read more at http://www.heartzine.com

Study Finds that Adding Milk Reduces Healthy Benefits of Black Tea

Previous studies have suggested that black tea's antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and vasodilating effects can help protect against cardiovascular diseases, but researchers from the Charité-Universitätsmediz in Berlin report that adding milk - even skimmed milk - may diminish those effects.

The study looked at 16 healthy postmenopausal women with an average age of 59. Each participant's flow-mediated vasodilation from baseline in the forearm brachial artery was measured before and two hours after they were given roughly two cups of freshly brewed black tea without milk, freshly brewed black tea with 10 percent milk, and boiled water as a control.

While drinking the black tea without milk, the subjects' flow-mediated dilation increased more than 400 percent, said lead researcher Veran Stangl and colleagues in the online issue of European Heart Journal. Women who drank 90 percent black tea and 10 percent skimmed milk had the same insignificant vasodilation increase they would get from drinking two cups of hot water.

‘The most striking finding of our study is that addition of milk to black tea completely prevents the biological activity of tea in terms of improvement of endothelial function,’ said the authors.

The next step in the study was to see which milk compounds could be inhibiting the tea's vasodilatory properties. The researchers took six major single milk proteins and conducted a series of cell culture experiments with them on isolated rat aortic rings and endothelial cell cultures. To determine flow-mediated dilation, the researchers measured the amount of nitric oxide produced when the cell cultures were stimulated with each milk protein and black tea, just black tea, and black tea with skimmed milk.

The milk proteins alpha-casein, beta casein and kappa-casein all stunted the production of nitric oxide to the same degree as skimmed milk. The alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin and serum albumin did not seem to have an effect on nitric oxide production. The researchers theorised that the three proteins that slowed nitric oxide production might have formed complexes with catechins - flavonoids in the tea - and blocked the vasodilatory effects.

‘Our results thus provide a possible explanation for the lack of beneficial effects of tea on the risk of heart disease in the United Kingdom, where milk is usually added to tea,’ the authors noted. ‘The finding that the tea-induced improvement of vascular function in humans is completely attenuated after addition of milk may have broad implications on the mode of tea preparation and consumption.’

Traffic Lights Show the Way to Healthy Food Choice

As food and drink retailers announce a £4 million advertising campaign to explain a new GDA (Guideline Daily Amount) food labelling scheme, Which? asks why they are so scared to use traffic light labelling.

According to Which? research, 97 per cent of people were able to correctly identify and compare recommended levels of nutrients using the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) traffic light labelling scheme. The FSA's red, amber and green labels for levels of fat, sugar and salt help interpret GDAs in a quick, easy-to-understand format.

21 manufacturers and three retailers have chosen to ignore this recommended scheme in favour of a monochrome GDA scheme, despite further Which? research that shows almost three quarters (73 per cent) of consumers think it would be confusing if supermarket shelves were full of different, contrasting food labels.

Sue Davies,chief food policy adviser, Which?, comments:
‘Are retailers and manufacturers shying away from using simple, easy-to-interpret colours because they're scared to be upfront about the fat, sugar and salt levels in their products?

‘Instead of spending £4 million to explain a labelling scheme to consumers, why not just use a scheme that's easy to understand in the first place?

‘Many of us shop in a hurry and don't have time to examine the nutrition information panel in detail. Clear, traffic light colours on the front of packs are crucial. We urge manufacturers and retailers to adopt traffic light labels to show consumers the way to quick and easy healthy food choices.’

50 per cent of people in Which?'s research were able to correctly identify the levels of four key nutrients (fat, saturates, sugar and salt) using multiple traffic lights compared with just five per cent using the manufacturers' GDA scheme.

The FSA's traffic light labelling scheme has also proved particularly beneficial for consumers from lower socio-economic groups. In Which? research, 90 per cent were able to correctly identify a healthier food choice using the FSA scheme.

For more information please visit the Which? website at http://www.which.co.uk

Which? shows why the FSA scheme is more beneficial for consumers:
* It's the most helpful - Which? research shows that 97 per cent of respondents were able to correctly identify and compare levels of nutrients using the traffic light labelling scheme.
* It's simple - If you need to invest significantly in educating consumers about a labelling scheme, the scheme is obviously not simple.
* It works at a glance - The FSA's multiple traffic light scheme gives consumers, at a glance, information about whether a product is high, medium or low in fat, saturated fat, sugar or salt.
* It's been extensively researched - The FSA recommended that the food industry use multiple traffic lights on their products after extensive research looking at different schemes, including interviews with over 2,600 people, found it to be the best system.
* It helps all consumers - The FSA research, reinforced by Which? research, found that the Tesco/ Food and Drink Federation scheme was confusing for some consumers particularly those from lower socio-economic groups.
* It's already being used - Several retailers and manufacturers (Sainsbury's, ASDA, Waitrose, the Co-operative Group, M&S, McCain, Covent Garden soup, Benjys and Kettle Foods) have announced that they will use the FSA scheme.
* Multiple schemes are confusing - By developing a rival scheme to multiple traffic lights, Tesco and the FDF are adding to confusion rather than helping consumers make informed choices between different products. Which? research found that 73 per cent of people interviewed thought it would be confusing if different products carried different labels.
* Traffic lights interpret guideline daily amounts - Tesco and the FDF claim that it is helpful to have information shown as a percentage of the guideline daily amount. The Which? and FSA research show that consumers value traffic light colour coding as a way of interpreting what the levels shown mean, e.g. is 20 per cent of your GDA for salt high, medium or low?
* It has EU-wide support - a BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation, review of European research found that an interpretative element, such as the use of colour coding to indicate nutrient levels, is the most helpful approach for consumers.
* It's transparent - Which? wants Tesco and the other manufacturers promoting an alternative scheme to base their system on what the research shows works best for consumers, not what works best from a marketing perspective. They need to stop hiding behind GDAs and be honest about whether or not their products are high, medium or low in fat, sugar or salt.

Research Notes
In April and May 2006, Which? tested how four different simple front of pack nutrition labelling systems performed with over 600 face to face interviews:

* the FSA traffic light based system with red, amber and green colour coding to indicate levels of nutrients as either high, medium or low;
* the scheme being used by some food manufacturers (used by Pepsi, Danone, Nestle, Kraft and Kellogg's) and Tesco featuring GDA information but no colour coding.
* a Tesco hybrid system with traffic light coding and GDA information.
* the Tesco scheme which featured GDA information and colours representing different nutrients instead of levels of nutrients (these colours are now being phased out)

Which? interviewed 636 people face to face between 28th April and 5th May 2006 in Tamworth, Birmingham, Chester, Croydon and Weston-Super Mare. Each interviewee was shown one of the four labelling systems on a healthy and then a less healthy version of either a breakfast cereal, pasta sauce or ready meal. These consumers were representative of shoppers in Great Britain and were all aged between 18 and 65. We also included a boost sample of people from lower socio-economic groups, because these groups generally have less healthy diets and are usually more at risk from diet-related disease.

OFT takes Action against 'Miracle Slimming Chocolate'

The OFT has obtained assurances from a Hong Kong based company that it will no longer market its slimming chocolate in the UK.

Global DM Licensing sent mailings to UK consumers claiming that by eating 'Slim-Choc' you could lose at least 20 pounds in 20 days, without dieting or exercising, and promised that 'the more you eat the more you lose!'

Slim-Choc was marketed as 'the brand new revolutionary cure for the obese and overweight', and 'the first and only chocolate that burns off fat and cellulite'. It was also claimed that the product had been developed over decades of research and clinically controlled hospital trials, and was based on the medical theory of 'Negative Calories' - where certain foods are so healthy that the body uses up more calories and energy digesting them than they contain. Mailings also included consumer testimonials detailing how some women had lost up to 72 pounds in just over three months, and recommended a purchase of a 40 day supply of Slim-Choc costing £37.

After being made aware of the mailing, the OFT contacted Global DM Licensing to express concerns over the potentially misleading claims being made, and requested evidence in support of the claims. The company responded by stating that, whilst it believed that the claims could be substantiated, it accepted the OFT's concerns and had decided to stop any further Slim-Choc advertising campaigns in the UK.

Christine Wade, OFT Assistant Chief Executive, Consumer Advice and Trading Standards said:

'After the Christmas festivities, many of us would welcome miracle weight loss and could easily be tempted in this case. Unfortunately the only pounds people are likely to lose are from their wallets.' Consumers who are unsure about claims being made in mailings for 'miracle' products can contact Consumer Direct for clear, practical advice on 08454 04 05 06 or visit http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk before they part with any money.

OFT Lodges Appeal against Dutch Court Ruling

The OFT has lodged an appeal against a ruling by a Dutch Court that the mail order company 'Best Sales B.V.' had not breached Dutch law.

Best Sales B.V. trading as 'Best Of' and 'Oliveal', have been sending unsolicited mailings to UK residents offering household goods and health remedies by mail.

Court proceedings were initiated last year by the OFT as it considered the mailings mislead UK consumers, and subsequently breach the Dutch implementation of the Misleading Advertising Directive. Following a hearing on 10th October 2006 in the Commercial Court in Breda, the judge ruled against the OFT, which the OFT has appealed.

The OFT's advice to consumers who receive mailings and catalogues through the post that give the impression that they've won a large cash prize, is:

1. Be aware that you are only being notified of a prize competition that has already been drawn.
2. You are under no obligation to make a purchase from any enclosed catalogue in order to participate in the prize draw or claim a prize. There will always be a free entry route that you can use to participate without placing an order.
3. If you do respond to the mailing you only have a small chance of winning the first prize (normally a cheque for a large cash sum), and what you are likely to end up receiving is a voucher offering a very small discount off your next catalogue order.

Consumers who have received unsolicited prize draw mailings and are unsure whether they have won anything should call Consumer Direct for clear, practical consumer advice on 08454 04 05 06 http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk.

OFT Takes Action and Magnopulse Agrees to Undertakings

Magnopulse Limited, a company which manufactures and sells magnetic therapy products for humans and animals, including leg wraps, back pads and neck wraps, pet collars and pet beds, has agreed to change its advertising following action by the OFT.

The OFT considers that a number of the company's old advertising claims were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations (CMARs). Magnopulse Limited disagreed. Only a court can decide that an advertisement is misleading under the CMARs. It has not done so in this case.
The OFT's action was settled on the basis that Magnopulse Limited and its officers, Derek and Wendy Price, have given undertakings to the court that they will not make advertising claims stating or giving the impression that:

* magnetic products will produce a therapeutic effect for those who wear or use them (as opposed to saying that they may have such an effect and/or some trials have shown that there may be such an effect and/or some consumers have reported such an effect),
* the cause of the products' therapeutic effect is (as opposed to may be) a specified physiological mechanism,
* the products' therapeutic efficacy is established or proved by clinical and/or scientific trials (as opposed to the possibility of the therapeutic effect having been suggested or reported in some trials under medical or scientific supervision),
* it is widely accepted in the scientific and/or medical communities that the cause of the products' effect is a specified physiological mechanism and/or that the products will (as opposed to may) produce therapeutic effects,
* magnetic products magnetise and/or replace or replenish the magnetic field in water; and
* the products ionise water.

Although the undertakings have immediate effect, Magnopulse Limited can publish or disseminate advertisements which would fall within the undertakings if they had already been accepted for publication before 24th November 2006 and they could not reasonably be changed before publication. A full list of such advertisements has been provided to the OFT. They may also publish or disseminate packing, brochures and other direct marketing leaflets which are already in existence until 31st January 2007.

Alan Williams, Senior Director, Markets and Projects, Services of OFT, said:
'Magnopulse Limited sells its products to consumers who are looking for relief from pain. Where advertisements claim products have therapeutic effects it is important they do not mislead customers. We believe that these undertakings and the guideline wording for advertising which we have agreed with Magnopulse Limited will better protect and inform consumers wanting to purchase these products in the future.' Failure to comply with the undertakings given to the court may result in proceedings for contempt of court. The OFT is committed to targeting healthcare as a priority area.

Complaints Against Procter & Gamble Not Upheld

Five complaints objecting to a TV ad, for the ThermaCare heat wrap on behalf of Procter & Gamble (Health & Beauty Care) Ltd, Egham, Surrey were not upheld according to information published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Ad
A TV ad, for the ThermaCare heat wrap, claimed ‘for back pain, now there's something that's as effective as taking six ibuprofen tablets’. On-screen text stated ‘2 X 200mg TABLETS, 3 X DAILY. WHEN WORN FOR 8 HOURS’. On-screen text at the end of the ad stated ‘1 WRAP UP TO 1 DAY'S PAIN RELIEF’.

Issue
The complainants challenged whether the ad was irresponsible, because it implied it was acceptable to take 6 ibuprofen tablets in one dose.

BCAP TV Advertising Code: 6.7;8.1.4;8.2.13

Response
Procter & Gamble thought that the on-screen text ‘2 X 200mg TABLETS, 3 X DAILY. WHEN WORN FOR 8 HOURS’ made clear that the ad compared the effects of Thermacare and ibuprofen over the course of a day.

The Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre (BACC) endorsed Procter & Gamble's comments and pointed out that the on-screen text gave the normal dosage rate.

Assessment
Not upheld
The ASA noted that the ad depicted a day in the life of a Thermacare user. We considered that the visual narrative, combined with on-screen text that stated ‘2 X 200mg TABLETS, 3 X DAILY. WHEN WORN FOR 8 HOURS’, made clear that the claim ‘as effective as taking six ibuprofen tablets’ referred to the effects of the product over the course of a day compared with the effects of ibuprofen taken at the normal dosage and did not imply that it was acceptable to take six ibuprofen tablets in one dose.

We investigated the ad under CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Standards Code rules 6.7 (Health and safety), 8.1.4 (Encouragement of excess) and 8.2.13 (Comparisons), but did not find it in breach.

Action
No further action necessary.

Complaint Against Avon Cosmetics Ltd UK Ltd Upheld

A complaint objecting to a catalogue ad for 'Face-Left' product 'ANEW' from Avon Cosmetics Ltd, was upheld on all of the three objections according to information published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Ad
A catalogue ad, for a skin cream, stated ‘ANEW CLINICAL DRAMATIC RESULTS. TAKE ACTION WITH THE AT HOME ALTERNATIVE TO SURGERY. THE NEW WAVE IN FACE LIFTS an exclusive technological skincare breakthrough tighter, firmer, more lifted skin in just 3 days* * Consumer Study #05-061 - an eight week study on 152 women’. A quotation from Annabel Jones, beauty director of Eve Magazine, stated ‘It's the latest craze in anti-ageing treatments. Thermal face lifts target sagging skin by using non-invasive radio frequency to tighten and firm collagen, literally reversing the drooping effect that occurs with age. Not since Botox has a cosmetic procedure had such a must-have appeal with celebrities and real women alike. It's set to take the UK by storm, which is why Avon have developed a painless, at home answer to this wonder treatment. It's a new generation of skin cream.’

On the next page, text stated ‘ ... WHY? if skin is sagging and loose - and a thermal face lift is too expensive WHEN? use at night as a moisturiser HOW? it works in two ways: TRIPLE SONIC TECHNOLOGY formulated with ingredients to help tighten the skin's layers. Ultrasonic stressed yeast and hydrolysed protein combined with other ingredients form a 3D matrix on your skin. Natural extracts are fused to help tighten the connections between the skin's layers’. A ‘Before’ and ‘After’ diagram of the skin and connective tissue were depicted; under the heading ‘Before’, text stated ‘the breakdown and weakening of dermal fibres can lead to facial sagging’. Under the heading ‘After’, the text stated ‘formulated to help stimulate the production of dermal fibres, helping tighten the connections between layers and lift skin’.

Issue
The complainant challenged:
1. the efficacy of the product and
2. whether the claims ‘ANEW CLINICAL DRAMATIC RESULTS. TAKE ACTION WITH THE AT HOME ALTERNATIVE TO SURGERY. THE NEW WAVE IN FACE LIFTS an exclusive technological skincare breakthrough’; ‘and a thermal face lift is too expensive’; ‘TRIPLE SONIC TECHNOLOGY’ and ‘Ultrasonic stressed yeast’ implied the product's effect was comparable to and as permanent as surgical procedures.
3. The ASA challenged whether the before and after diagrams and accompanying text misleadingly implied the product had a physiological effect.

The CAP Code: 50.15;50.7;50.24;50.1;3.1;6.1;7.1

Response
1. Avon Cosmetics Ltd (Avon) said the claim ‘tighter, firmer, more lifted skin in just 3 days’ was supported by the results of an eight week double-blind home use consumer test. They supplied the results, protocols and questions asked in the study and pointed out that the data was analysed by an independent statistician. Avon also supplied laboratory evidence for the action of several of Thermafirm's ingredients in the production and destruction of key skin proteins such as collagen and elastin.

2. Avon asserted that the claims in the ad had not implied parity of Thermafirm with a thermal face lift or that the results of Thermafirm were permanent. They said their substantiation showed that Thermafirm was effective at improving the same parameters, such as facial sagging and tone, as a non-invasive thermal face lift and therefore was positioned to be an alternative. They asserted that the use of the claims ‘TRIPLE SONIC TECHNOLOGY’ and ‘Ultrasonic stressed yeast’ in the ad had, again, not implied parity of Thermafirm with a thermal face lift or permanency, even if a consumer had made an association between the word ‘sonic’ and non-invasive radio frequencies used in thermal face lifts. They pointed out that ultrasonic stressed yeast formed a matrix on the skin's surface with other ingredients but did not help to tighten the connections between the skin's layers. They supplied a new version of the brochure ad for Thermafirm with amended claims.

3. Avon explained that the diagrams were used to illustrate how Thermafirm could have a tightening effect by it helping to maintain elastin and collagen in the skin. They provided substantiation for the action of several of Thermafirm's ingredients in the production and destruction of key skin proteins in vitro.

Assessment
The ASA took independent expert advice and understood that, although the consumer study was of a good standard, it was not placebo controlled. Although we understood from the expert that people using the product might experience it as making their skin feel tighter and firmer, we understood that the evidence did not support the claim ‘more lifted skin’. We also understood that the in vitro studies did not show that the effects seen in a laboratory on key proteins would be reproduced in a consumer's skin, in vivo, and considered that they were therefore insufficient to support the claims.

1. Upheld
The ASA noted Avon's submission and the advice from the expert and concluded that the products efficacy had not been proven beyond that of a moisturiser. In particular, we understood that the evidence did not show the product could ‘lift’ skin as claimed.

On this point, the ad breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation), 7.1 (Truthfulness), 50.1 (Health and beauty products and therapies), 50.7 (Ageing and rejuvenation) and 50.24 (Cosmetics).

2. Upheld
We considered that the claims ‘ANEW CLINICAL DRAMATIC RESULTS. TAKE ACTION WITH THE AT HOME ALTERNATIVE TO SURGERY. THE NEW WAVE IN FACE LIFTS an exclusive technological skincare breakthrough’; ‘and a thermal face lift is too expensive’; ‘TRIPLE SONIC TECHNOLOGY’ and ‘Ultrasonic stressed yeast’ were comparing the Thermafirm product to a surgical procedure or a thermal face lift performed using non-invasive radio frequencies. We considered that readers would expect an alternative option to a face lift to have approximately equivalent results and that they would infer from the claim ‘an exclusive technological skincare breakthrough’ that Thermafirm had an effect over and above that delivered by other moisturising products. Because we had not seen satisfactory evidence for those effects, we concluded that the claims were misleading.

On this point, the ad breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation), 7.1 (Truthfulness), 50.1 (Health and beauty products and therapies), 50.7 (Ageing and rejuvenation) and 50.24 (Cosmetics).

3. Upheld
We noted Avon's argument that the diagrams were an illustration of how Thermafirm's formulation acted on the skin. We understood from the expert that the diagrams suggested a physiological change that was not supported by the evidence presented and we concluded that the diagrams were misleading.
On this point, the ad breached CAP Code clause 7.1 (Truthfulness).

Action
The ads should not appear again in their current form. We told Avon to amend their ads with help from the CAP Copy Advice team.

I Put my Inhaler Away and just Learned how to Breathe Properly (by Rebecca Bourne)

If you think of asthma, you probably think inhalers. But one Worcestershire woman has found an alternative way to be in control of her condition - and it just involves learning how to breathe correctly.

A seemingly endless supply of inhalers are rattling around Magda Livingstone's Kempsey home.

After suffering from asthma for more than 15 years, the 64-year-old had tried several different types of medication in a bid to get her tight chest and coughing under control.

But to no avail.

‘I had pneumonia in 1986 and coughed and coughed and coughed, but it wasn't until a few years later that I was diagnosed as having asthma,’ Magda said.

‘Since then, I've been given various inhalers and steroids to try to get things under control.

‘However, some of the drugs I was prescribed made me very shaky, so I was always swapping and changing to get the right combination.

‘Nothing seemed to suit me and I was always looking for an alternative.’
First Magda tried yoga as she heard that it would help enable her get in control of her breathing.

But the dusty school hall that it took place in only served to make her condition worse.

Then, six months ago, she heard about a special breathing re-training programme called Buteyko.

The Buteyko method is based on the clinical findings of Russian professor Konstantin Buteyko and aims to correct the dysfunctional breathing patterns that cause excessive allergic response.

It was discovered in the 1950s and proved so successful that it has been the first line of asthma management in the Russian health system for more than 20 years.

It has only been introduced in this country in recent years but a pilot study at West Cornwall Primary Care Trust in April 2005 resulted in it hitting the national headlines when the NHS GP who recorded the results of the patients involved announced the health service could save £270m a year if it was implemented nationally.

Magda said: ‘I had heard about Buteyko on the radio a while ago but I couldn't write anything down at the time and forgot all about it.

‘Then I saw an article in the Worcester News stating that qualified coaches were coming to Worcester to introduce the method, so I went along. That was back in May and now I am in complete control of my asthma.’ Magda attended a four-day course with other asthma sufferers to learn the history of asthma and what can cause it. She was asked about what made her condition worse and was taught various techniques on controlling the symptoms.

‘For instance, we were taught about the importance of breathing through your nose rather than your mouth, and were shown a series of exercises designed to allow a build-up of carbon dioxide in the blood, which then stimulates the body to take up more oxygen and relieve the symptoms.
‘I learned such a lot and it has worked extremely well.

‘It's taken time to learn everything and I now have a list of exercises that I do every day.’

Magda said she now has more energy and has taken up walking and even dancing classes.

‘I'd certainly recommend the course,’ Magda said.

‘I'm feeling great.’

Simon Paddon and Nikki Jewell, who are two of only 100 specialists in the world who teach the Buteyko method, said it can also benefit people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, bronchitis, panic attacks and sleep apnoea.

Mr Paddon said: ‘The traditional medical approach to a worsening breathing problem is to increase medication intake and many sufferers find they have no option but to do exactly that - until they come and see us.

‘Then we work with them to control their symptoms and reduce medication.’

Visit http://www.asthma999.com for more information.

Alternative Ways to Beat Asthma
Rita Davies, from Healing Touch Complementary Therapy Centre, Bath Road, Worcester, recommends a number of alternative therapies that can also help with asthma.

* McTimoney chiropractic - gentle manipulation to correct the muscular-skeletal system and is good for freeing up chest tightness.
* Cranial sacral osteopathy - uses very gentle manipulative pressure to encourage the release of stresses throughout the body and head.
* Homeopathy - a powerful, effective therapy designed to stimulate the body's own power to heal itself. It recognises that the symptoms of ill health are expressions of dis-harmony within the whole person and that it is the patient who needs treatment, not the disease. It addresses the cause of the illness, rather then just relieving or suppressing the symptoms.
* Aromatherapy - the therapeutic use of concentrated plant essences to relieve stress, enhance health and well-being, prevent problems and support the healing process.

Ms Davies said: ‘We always work alongside GPs and advise people to continue their medication.

‘However, we have seen many patients reduce the amount of reliance on their inhalers and find that after exercise they are not having to use their inhalers as much.

‘We find it helps people to feel empowered and take control of their asthma rather than letting it control them.’

Call 01905 763481 for more information.

Magnet Therapy Challenged

Magnet therapy refers to healing with static magnets, the kind of basic magnet commonly found holding up notes and crayon artwork on a refrigerator. It's a 5 billion U.S. dollar worldwide business, according to the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

If magnet therapy works - and most studies find no positive effect or, at best, a statistically marginal effect attributed to the placebo effect - it would have to involve some novel biological mechanism.

A top claim made by proponents is that magnets attract the iron in blood and improve blood flow, reducing pain. They only trouble with this theory is that iron in blood is bound to hemoglobin and is not attracted by magnets. If you need proof, prick you finger, hold a magnet near the wound and see what happens.

Or consider this, if blood were attracted to magnets, when you enter under the powerful magnets of an MRI machine, which are thousands of times stronger that so-called therapeutic magnets, you'd blow up.

A few small studies have found marginal benefits, such as a 1997 study from Baylor College of Medicine involving 50 patients with knee pain. This is the study most cited by purveyors of magnetic goods.

On the other hand, the dozen or so larger studies since 1997 finding no benefit from magnets are the least likely to be cited. The Baylor study has never been replicated, which means the study's methods were flawed or the results for some reason simply don't work in the real world.

Don't confuse static magnets, however, with electromagnets, devices used in hospitals and involving pulses of electricity shown to help heal bone fractures. While experimental, the therapy is promising and likely relies on the ‘electric’ part of electromagnetism affecting cell membranes or nerve cells.

Most commercial magnet therapy products are no stronger than a refrigerator magnet, at about 50 gauss. If you're willing to shell out 15 dollars for magnetic shoe inserts, you can try this little test: You'll see that the insole will attract a paperclip. Now cover it with a sock. Hold the insole vertically and you might see the paperclip just barely clinging. Now add about a dozen sheets of paper to simulate the thickness of skin. Not a chance.

Commercial magnets typically are not strong enough to penetrate their casing (foam or cloth) and our casing (skin) to have any effect on things they can't affect anyway, like blood. Some manufactures are now offering magnets as strong as 200 gauss to counter this criticism.

This change would imply that the stronger magnets are, say, four times more effective at treating pain than weaker magnets, which is yet one more aspect of magnet therapy that hasn't been proven.

Pesticide Residues Committee - Second Quarter Report 2006

The latest Pesticide Residues Committee's (PRC) quarterly report found that 65% of the 1126 samples of 22 different foods tested had no detectable residues, and 33.3% contained levels below the maximum residues level (MRL) - the legally permitted level. 19 of the samples (1.7%) contained residues above the maximum permitted levels. None of these residues were likely to cause concern for people's health.

No residues were detected in cauliflower, bacon, cheese, milk, orange juice, and shellfish.

Dr Ian Brown, chairman of the Committee, said:
‘The majority of food sampled does not contain detectable residues or contains residues in accordance with the guidelines. The PRC have looked carefully at all of the exceedances of the MRL and published a full risk assessment. We are satisfied that the all the results give us no concern for consumer health.

‘The results show 19 samples (1.7%) contained residues in excess of the maximum permitted levels. We have looked carefully at each of these exceedances and in every case the presence of these residues was unlikely to have resulted in any adverse health effects for consumers. The majority of these 'exceedances' are exceedances of MRLs set at the lowest level which can be routinely tested for because producers have not supplied information to set a higher level.

‘We have asked suppliers for an explanation of our findings.

‘The results should reassure consumers that the food they eat continues to be safe. It is important to stress that the positive effects of eating fresh fruit and vegetables as part of a balanced healthy diet far outweigh any concern about pesticide residues.’

The PRC is an independent body which advises Government, the Food Standards Agency and the Pesticides Safety Directorate. The recent results are part of a £2.2 million food and drink monitoring programme which takes place each year, and cover testing from April to June 2006.

The MRL, or maximum residue level, is the maximum concentration of a pesticide residue - expressed as milligrams per kilogram, or parts per million - legally permitted in or on our food and animal feeds. The levels are not safety limits, but are set at levels which protect the consumer. They are primarily a check that good agricultural practice is being followed, and an MRL exceedance does not automatically imply a hazard to health.

The full report is available online: http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/uploadedfiles/Web_Assets/PRC/Report.pdf

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