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.
Lymphatic circulation plays a vital role in the body's immune system, the elimination of toxic waste and the transport of nutrients to the cells. Manual Lymphatic Drainage (M.L.D.) is manipulation and massage of the lymph system and supposedly removes blockages and encourages the free flow of lymph fluids. Before making claims for MLD, practitioners should hold robust evidence for the efficacy of their treatment (Rule 12.1).
Marketers have promoted procedures and treatments for lymphatic drainage that they claim can aid removal of toxins from the body. In 2003, the ASA upheld a complaint about a claim that a controlled-pressure massage machine could enhance lymphatic drainage and thereby remove all toxins from the body. The marketer did not provide evidence of the action of the product or demonstrate that it could produce the listed benefits (James Stuart & Co Ltd, 28 January 2004). Then, in 2007, the ASA upheld a complaint about a foot spa that claimed to “rebalances and harmonises by sending signals up through the lymph glands to stimulate the detox process”. The marketer did not provide adequate evidence to substantiate the product claims (Derann Productions, 14 February 2007.)
See ‘Ailments, Treatments and Therapies: Massage and Body Work’ and ‘Detoxing: General’.
Last modified : 30 July 2010