Summary:
At the end of 2006, the ASA upheld a complaint about an ad, for a handwash gel, that stated "KILLS 99.8% OF GERMS. NO GERMS. INSTANT HAND SANITISER." The ad featured two quotes from the Daily Mail that stated "£2.99 HANDWASH KILLS MRSA and BIRD FLU” and "On average, people touch their faces every five minutes." A further quote by Dr Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona stated "80% of disease causing illness is spread by Hand." Although it rejected a complaint that the ad was an undue appeal to fear, the ASA ruled against the claim "Kills MRSA and Bird Flu": because the it suggested that the product could be used to treat or prevent infections caused by MRSA or Bird Flu pathogens, the claim was an unauthorised medicinal claim (Advanced Formulation (Europe) Ltd, 10 January 2007).
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