The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has proactively banned three ads for sclerotherapy treatments, for advertising prescription-only medicines (POMs).
Following legislation, the rules make it clear that businesses can’t advertise POMs to the public. Ensuring these rules are followed is a high priority area for the advertising regulator. For example, following an Enforcement Notice in 2020 to the industry, they’ve seen fifty thousand ads for Botox withdrawn from Instagram, with Meta’s assistance.
Sclerotherapy – a treatment for varicose veins, done for aesthetics as well as to reduce aching, swelling and cramping – requires the use of a POM. As such, it can’t be advertised towards the general public.
These three ads all broke the rules by advertising sclerotherapy on social media. The ASA has banned these ads and told the advertisers to ensure their future content follows the rules. And they’ve banned a fourth ad over training courses for sclerotherapy, without making clear the nature, requirements, qualifications and possible professional registration details of the course.
The ASA are using these rulings to remind practitioners to be mindful of the rules around POMs. Ads shouldn’t appear on social media, and on websites they can advertise a service but not a specific product. They should avoid before-and-after photos, special offers or prizes.
Miles Lockwood, Director of Complaints and Investigations at the ASA said: “It’s really important that ads aren’t marketing POMs to the public. Those are rules set out in legislation, and we enforce them to ensure that consumers are protected. … “We know that sole traders and small businesses aren’t always aware of the how the rules apply to their work, particularly online and on social media. These rulings, alongside our training programmes, will remind businesses of their responsibilities around advertising treatments that use POMs.”
Source: ASA
Did you forgot to #ad? Is your Instagram advertising missing a disclosure message?
Need A Regulatory Marketing Compliance Consultant? A Bit More About Us
About us
LS Consultancy are experts in Marketing and Compliance. We provide a cost-effective and timely bespoke copy advice and copy development services to make sure all your advertising and campaigns are compliant, clear and suitable for their purpose.
We also work with a range of firms to assist with improving their documents, processes and systems to mitigate risk.
Our range of innovative solutions can be tailored to suit your unique requirements, no matter whether you’re currently working from home, or are continuing to go into the office. Our services can be deployed individually or combined to form a broader solution to release your energies and focus on your clients.
Contact us today for a chat or send us an email to find out how we can support you in meeting your current and future challenges with confidence.
Why Not Download our FREE Brochures! Click here.
Call Us Today on 020 8087 2377 or send us an email.
FOLLOW US
Connect with us via social media and drop us a message from there. We’d love to hear from you and discuss how we can help.
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | X (formally Twitter) | YouTube
Contact us