Company amends supplement wording

Jersey's chief pharmacist says more research is needed

A Jersey-based company which sells health supplements has changed the wording in some of its advertisements after complaints.

The Advertising Standards Authority asked Pinnacle Health to make the alterations after receiving complaints over misleading claims.

The company said it did not want to be associated with some "rogue" companies who make unfounded medicinal claims.

It pointed out the changes had been made voluntarily.

Some of the complaints, from the Health Food Manufacturer's Association (HFMA), related to how effective some supplements were in improving heart health and reducing arthritis pain.

In a statement, the company said it was under no legal obligation to make the changes as Jersey was not bound by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) legislation in the UK.

Research needed

"We have nearly a million customers and we want to be around for many years to come," a Pinnacle spokesman told BBC News.

"Our research is based on numerous clinical trials, but not all trials are accepted by the MHRA.

"By no means are we trying to mislead the public."

Paul McCabe, the island's chief pharmacist, said the difficulty was being able to establish exactly how effective health supplements were.

"With a number of products there's been very little research to demonstrate whether they are any better than a placebo or as good as existing treatments that are available," he said.

"It's that lack of knowledge which contributes to some people making medicinal claims. If more research was done, then we'd be able to give a more definitive answer."