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.
Evidence to support claims made in advertisements for the relief of pain must fulfil the criteria required for adoption of the same treatment into clinical practice (Rule 12.1). In simple terms the treatment, whatever it is, must have been tested in clinical trials that have been properly constructed and have enough patients for relevant conclusions to be drawn. Double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are usually the best evidence for clinical efficacy although sometimes the type of treatment makes that type of trial difficult to do.
Generally, only clinical work published in peer-reviewed journals will be considered as acceptable evidence. CAP will not accept personal statements or testimonials from patients or personalities or theoretical studies. Animal work, studies using the treatment in other, unrelated conditions or studies that are out-of-date or do not apply to the claims being made will not be accepted as evidence either.
A checklist for evidence should include these questions:
• Is the pain problem studied the same as the one you are targeting in your advertisement?
• Is the trial design right? (Is it blinded? Placebo-controlled?)
• Is the power of the study sufficient? (Enough patients for statistical analysis)
• How was the pain measured? (Do the patients rate the pain relief and how do they do it? Is the assessment by other means such as medication use, visits to the therapist or work record?)
• Does the trial last long enough for long-term conclusions to be drawn?
• Are the statistical methods used suitable for the study?
• Is the result significant?
Marketers can contact the Copy Advice team for guidance but might be interested to learn that the clinical evidence for many painful conditions has been reviewed by groups such as the Oxford Pain Relief Group and the results can be found on this website:
http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/
The Cochrane Collaboration also is a resource of immense value:
http://www.thecochranelibrary.com
Last modified : 26 July 2010