Advertising and Blog Disclaimer

17/09/24

Who is Responsible for the Site?

The owner of this blog site is BTH Clinics Limited TA Back to Health, 21 Grosvenor Road, Wrexham LL11 1BT. Registered Company Number in England and Wales: 11078463.

Employees, Self Employed Associates, Patients, Clients and Guests of BTH Clinics Ltd who share information and their opinion on this blog site do not necessarily represent the views of the site owner.

Seeking Opinions and the Discussion of Ideas:

The nature of a blog site is to encourage discussion and exchange ideas and opinion.

The General Chiropractic Council (GCC) sets standards for chiropractors in relation to their duty to listening to, and respecting the views and opinions of their patients. It is hoped that this blog site will do just that.

The GCC offers guidance that effective chiropractic care is a partnership based on openness, trust and good communication. It guides chiropractors to talk to their patients about their care. It also guides chiropractors to encourage their patients to play a full part in their own care by to communicating openly with them. (Standards Guidance from General Chiropractic Council’s Code of Practice P.13, June 2010) SECTION B1).

This blog site is part of BTH Clinics Ltd ‘s strategy to seek interaction with and the views of the people who attend the clinic.

Policing of the Accuracy of Information:

BTH Clinics Ltd has policies in place to ensure reasonable steps are taken to ensure compliance with regulatory bodies guidelines and genuinely makes every reasonable attempt to apply safeguards and moderate this blog site. However, the very nature of a blog site means that the site owner cannot accept responsibility for all posts and comments made on it.

BTH Clinics Ltd does not make claims as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link from this blog and cannot be held liable for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in information posted.

BTH Clinics Ltd will not be liable for any losses, injuries or damages from the display or use of this information.

Moderation:

BTH Clinics Ltd reserves the right to edit or delete any comments submitted to this blog without notice at their discretion. The owner will review the site and will moderate against:

1. Comments including profanity or deemed to be spam and trolling
2. Comments containing language or concepts that could be deemed offensive
3. Comments which may be considered damaging to the owner’s business
4. Comments that attack or are derogatory to or about a person, group of people, profession or an association
5. Comments which are purposely intended to: mislead others, abuse the trust of members of the public, are inaccurate, exploit the lack of experience of others, instill a fear of ill health, put pressure on people to seek treatment or bring any healthcare profession into disrepute
6. Posts and comments that breach BTH Clinics Ltd’s policies
7. SPAM or advertising materials

The posting of any information on this site does not imply that BTH Clinics Ltd has authorised or agrees with that information or opinion.

Claims of Effectiveness:

Whether bloggers are health professionals, lay people or in the direct employment of the owner of the site, their posts and comments:
• are the opinion of the blogger, who is exercising their right to freedom of speech and do not represent the views of the owner
• are not to be considered as direct claims about the effectiveness or scope of chiropractic or other therapy

Use of the “Dr” Title:

The use of the title “Dr” in relation to a chiropractor is referring to the title “Doctor of Chiropractic” and is not to imply that they hold a medical qualification or are registered with the General Medical Council.

Advertising Guidelines:

Advertising Agency Guidelines have been included below for completeness and transparency.

If you believe we have over extended ourselves and are in breach of these guidelines then please report it to the owner marked for the attention of:

Peter Wagenaar Doctor of Chiropractic
Company Director
Back to Health
21 Grosvenor Road
Wrexham
LL11 1BT

Or email us at info@back-to-health.co.uk  

Advertising Standards Agency Guidelines – Follow links Below for Up to Date Information:

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the UK’s independent regulator of advertising across all media. We apply the Advertising Codes, which are written by the Committees of Advertising Practice. They act on complaints and proactively checking the media to take action against misleading, harmful or offensive advertisements. (SOURCE: http://www.asa.org.uk/About-ASA.aspx)

The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) write and maintain the UK Advertising Codes, which are administered by the Advertising Standards Authority. We also offer the industry authoritative advice and guidance on how to create campaigns that comply with the rules. (SOURCE: http://www.cap.org.uk/About-CAP.aspx)

CAP Advice in Relation to Chiropractic:

Note: This advice is given by the CAP Executive about non-broadcast advertising. It does not constitute legal advice. It does not bind CAP, CAP advisory panels or the Advertising Standards Authority.

Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that focuses on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, with special emphasis on the spine. It emphasises manual therapy including spinal manipulation and other joint and soft-tissue manipulation, and includes exercises, and health and lifestyle counselling.

Chiropractors are regulated by statute and may therefore refer to conditions for which suitably qualified medical advice should be sought, provided they hold convincing evidence of the efficacy of their treatments.

To date, CAP accepts that chiropractors may claim to treat these conditions:

(NB: this advice was updated following a review of evidence conducted in September 2010):

• Ankle sprain (short term management)
• Cramp
• Elbow pain and tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) arising from associated musculoskeletal conditions of the back and neck, but not isolated occurrences
• Headache arising from the neck (cervicogenic)
• Joint pains
• Joint pains including hip and knee pain from osteoarthritis as an adjunct to core OA treatments and exercise
• General, acute & chronic backache, back pain (not arising from injury or accident)
• Generalised aches and pains
• Lumbago
• Mechanical neck pain (as opposed to neck pain following injury i.e. whiplash)
• Migraine prevention
• Minor sports injuries
• Muscle spasms
• Plantar fasciitis (short term management)
• Rotator cuff injuries, disease or disorders
• Sciatica (General references, as opposed to pain reduction claims - see ASA Guidance)
• Shoulder complaints (dysfunction, disorders and pain - but not 'frozen shoulder' see ASA Guidance)
• Soft tissue disorders of the shoulder
• Tension and inability to relax

As regulated health professionals, chiropractors may refer to treating specific population groups such as pregnant women, children and babies. However, at present there is a limited or negative evidence base for the effectiveness of chiropractic in treating conditions specific to those groups, such as colic or morning sickness.

Consequently, references to treatment for symptoms and conditions that are likely to be understood to be specific to babies, children or pregnant women are unlikely to be acceptable unless the marketer holds a robust body of evidence.

Where an adequate evidence base has been established for the efficacy of chiropractic treatments for particular conditions in the general population, claims that do not materially depart from those already deemed acceptable by the ASA and CAP and which describe interventions that are consistent with chiropractic practice, are likely to be acceptable.

Last modified : 01 Jun 2023 (SOURCE: http://www.cap.org.uk/Advice-Training-on-the-rules/Advice-Online-Database/Therapies-Chiropractic.aspx)

Use of the term “Dr”:

Note: This advice is given by the CAP Executive about non-broadcast advertising. It does not constitute legal advice. It does not bind CAP, CAP advisory panels or the Advertising Standards Authority.

Chiropractors who are registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) are given a courtesy title of “Doctor of Chiropractic”.  Chiropractors are permitted to use this title (and similar abbreviated titles, including DC, DoC and Dr) in ads provided that title is sufficiently qualified so that it does not mislead.

The “Chiropractor” title is protected by law and chiropractors are regulated by statute. The General Chiropractic Council (GCC) is the UK-wide statutory body established by Parliament to regulate the chiropractic profession. CAP understands that Chiropractors are permitted by the GCC to use the courtesy title “Doctor of Chiropractic”, which is sometimes abbreviated to “DC” or “DoC”.

CAP and the ASA consider that Chiropractors who wish to use the courtesy title in their advertising (either in part, or in full), should take care not to imply that they hold a general medical qualification if they do not.

In 2018, the ASA ruled against a website for a Chiropractic clinic where some of the Chiropractors were referred to using the title “Dr [name] DC” with the full profile (available upon click-through) repeating that title and also including the subheading “Doctor of Chiropractic”. Another Chiropractor on the website was, in the first instance, referred to by the title “Dr [name’]”, with “Doctor of Chiropractic” only being referenced on their full profile.  The ASA ruled that the titles “Dr” and “Doctor” should not be used on the clinic website without immediate qualification with the courtesy title “Doctor of Chiropractic” or its approved abbreviations.   It additionally considered that using DC alone as part of a title e.g. “Dr [name] DC” was not clear to consumers because they were unlikely to be aware that it was an abbreviation of “Doctor of Chiropractic” and that the title could therefore be interpreted as a reference to a general medical qualification.  It subsequently ruled that if using “DC” alone as part of the title, the ad would need to make clear it related to the full courtesy title “Doctor of Chiropractic”.  Finally, the ASA also ruled that the use of the courtesy title “Doctor of Chiropractic” or its qualified abbreviations were likely to be misleading unless they were clearly and prominently qualified with a statement that the title was a courtesy title and that the practitioner did not hold a general medical qualification. (Chiropractic First Group Ltd, 9 May 2018).

I n light of the above ruling, CAP recommends that Chiropractors who wish to use the title ”Dr” or “Doctor” immediately qualify it (within the same statement) with the full courtesy title “Doctor of Chiropractic” or its abbreviations “DC” or “DoC”.  If using the abbreviated title, especially “DC”, we would recommend making clear that this relates to the full title of “Doctor of Chiropractic”.

CAP also recommends that Chiropractors clearly and prominently qualify the use of the courtesy title “Doctor of Chiropractic” (or its qualified abbreviations) with a statement that it is a courtesy title and that a general medical qualification is not held..

If practitioners also hold a general medical qualification, a “Dr” title is likely to be acceptable but care would still need to be taken to prevent the impression that the “Dr of Chiropractic” title (or its abbreviations) was equivalent to a general medical qualification.

Last modified : 01 June 2023 (SOURCE: https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/use-of-the-term-dr-chiropractors.html)

Therapies: General

Note: This advice is given by the CAP Executive about non-broadcast advertising. It does not constitute legal advice. It does not bind CAP, CAP advisory panels or the Advertising Standards Authority.

Many marketers of health-related products or therapies would like to list ailments that they believe their products or therapies can treat. The Code, however, contains specific rules that restrict the types of claims marketers other than qualified health professionals may make.

Substantiation and evidence

Rule 12.1 indicates that objective claims for health products (including therapies) must be supported by objective evidence.  For health therapies, the ASA and CAP are likely to expect that evidence to be in the form of clinical trials.

Whilst it is understood that some practitioners do not believe clinical trials to be the appropriate measure for the effectiveness of their therapy, the ASA and CAP consider that it is the only consistent and reliable method of demonstrating that a health intervention is effective for the purposes of making efficacy claims in advertising.

This CAP Guidance explains the types and levels of evidence that are likely to be acceptable.

Discouraging essential medical treatment

Evidence aside, offering diagnoses, advice or treatment on medical conditions for which medical supervision should be sought, could be seen to discourage essential medical treatment if that diagnosis, advice and treatment is not being carried out under the supervision of a suitably qualified health professional (Rule 12.2).

This CAP Guidance explains the position in more detail and includes a non-exhaustive list of medical conditions that are likely to be caught by the Code rule.

Subjective/sensorial claims and medical conditions

CAP understands that advertisers whose clientele include those who suffer from illness often find it challenging to explain the service they offer without falling foul of the Code. The examples below demonstrate how small changes can change the acceptability of an ad.

Before

“Reflexology can be used by people suffering from any medical condition”

“Aromatherapy massage can help people suffering from insomnia”

“I treat people suffering from Cancer and fertility problems”

"Many of my clients suffer from depression, especially in winter, and find that Shiatsu can help lift their mood”

“During a Craniosacral therapy session the therapist relieves any restrictions in the flow of cerebral spinal fluid around the body, thereby alleviating medical conditions including arthritis and many others”

After

“Reflexology can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from children through to the elderly”

“Aromatherapy massage can aid restful sleep”

“Some of my clients include people suffering from Cancer. They find that the soothing, calming and relaxing nature of the therapy assists their emotional wellbeing during this difficult time”

“Many of my clients find Shiatsu excellent for improving their mood”

“Craniosacral Therapy is based on the belief that by feeling the intrinsic flow of the craniosacral rhythm the therapist can improve the wellbeing of clients, and help them to relax”

Testimonials

Testimonials in ads for therapies are likely to be acceptable provided they do not include any direct or implied factual claims about the efficacy of the therapy which are not generally accepted by the ASA & CAP.  As with all advertising, the ASA & CAP will expect factual claims in testimonials to be supported by documentary evidence and in the case of health therapies, clinical trial evidence. See CAP Advice on Claims in testimonials and endorsements.

Subjective/sensorial claims in testimonials (such as those in the section above) are likely to be acceptable without evidence.

Last modified: 02 March 2022 (SOURCE: http://www.cap.org.uk/Advice-Training-on-the-rules/Advice-Online-Database/Therapies-General.aspx)