Wednesday, August 21, 2013
ASA ruling on irresponsible measles jab website is welcome
The BBC reports that a clinic selling separate measles, mumps and rubella vaccines has been told to remove "misleading" claims from its website implying a link between the MMR jab and autism.
They say that the ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority came after complaints were made about the Cheshire-based Children's Immunisation Centre during the measles outbreak centred on Swansea. The ASA decided that the clinic's language "could have caused fear and distress":
The Children's Immunisation Centre offered single vaccines to parents, running a clinic in Swansea and others in England.
In its response to the ASA, the centre said it offered a safe alternative for parents who needed to have their children protected from childhood diseases but did not wish to undergo government or NHS programmes such as the MMR vaccine.
It also argued its website information did not constitute advertising.
But the ASA said because the centre "promoted non-government recommended vaccination and because the overall context of the website focused on their claim that a single MMR vaccination was linked with autism, we considered the language used could have caused fear and distress without justifiable reason and we concluded the website was irresponsible".
Three complainants, including a GP, challenged whether the centre's 100% safety claim could be substantiated, while two said the advert was irresponsible and could cause fear and distress because it appeared during the measles outbreak in south Wales.
The ASA ruled that the website breached regulations because it advertised prescription-only medicines.
The misinformation on this website was raised by me a number of times with Ministers in the Assembly. I am delighted that they have finally been told to take down the incorrect assertions.
They say that the ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority came after complaints were made about the Cheshire-based Children's Immunisation Centre during the measles outbreak centred on Swansea. The ASA decided that the clinic's language "could have caused fear and distress":
The Children's Immunisation Centre offered single vaccines to parents, running a clinic in Swansea and others in England.
In its response to the ASA, the centre said it offered a safe alternative for parents who needed to have their children protected from childhood diseases but did not wish to undergo government or NHS programmes such as the MMR vaccine.
It also argued its website information did not constitute advertising.
But the ASA said because the centre "promoted non-government recommended vaccination and because the overall context of the website focused on their claim that a single MMR vaccination was linked with autism, we considered the language used could have caused fear and distress without justifiable reason and we concluded the website was irresponsible".
Three complainants, including a GP, challenged whether the centre's 100% safety claim could be substantiated, while two said the advert was irresponsible and could cause fear and distress because it appeared during the measles outbreak in south Wales.
The ASA ruled that the website breached regulations because it advertised prescription-only medicines.
The misinformation on this website was raised by me a number of times with Ministers in the Assembly. I am delighted that they have finally been told to take down the incorrect assertions.
