The BBC has been forced to issue a correction over an episode of Dragons’ Den after it featured “unproven claims” about a wellness business.
It comes after myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) campaigners complained that the show promoted “unfounded” claims that the Acu Seeds wellness product could help with the condition.
Sheffield businesswoman Giselle Boxer said the ear seeds helped aid her recovery from ME when pitching her business on the show.
Following the uproar the BBC said “a clarification has been added to the programme on iPlayer to address the concerns raised” with a text statement now being displayed when Ms Boxer’s pitch is shown.
It reads: “Acu Seeds are not intended as a cure for any medical condition and advice should always be sought from a qualified healthcare provider about any health concerns.”
During the episode, which was first shown on January 18, Ms Boxer said she used “diet, acupuncture, Chinese herbs and ear seeds” to help with her recovery from ME before turning the latter idea into a product.
A disclaimer on the Acu Seeds website says the product is not used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Some believe ear seeds stimulate pressure points in ears, but the NHS says there is currently no cure for the condition but some treatments can manage it.
An open letter written to the chairs of two House of Commons select committees by Action for ME said it was “very concerned” about how the pitch was presented in the BBC show.
It also wrote to BBC director-general Tim Davie.
It said comments suggested the product was “responsible for her recovery and should therefore be considered an effective treatment”.
The letter added: “Sadly, there is currently no known effective treatment for ME. There has been a distinct paucity of research into this disease, compared to other long-term conditions, which means that ME is still without a cure.
“As a result, we remind people to only take medical advice from appropriately qualified healthcare professionals and to ensure that any treatment decisions are evidence-based and fully informed.”
Action for ME said it felt broadcasters should “every effort to ensure that content is accurate and does not contain misleading and potentially dangerous information”.
At the end of the pitch, dragon Steven Bartlett invested in the product, with Ms Boxer receiving six offers.
