The NHS is trying into considerations over Dr Paul O’Connell’s actions after an investigation by WalesOnline
A Cardiff GP has been accused of fronting “harmful” social media adverts for well being dietary supplements.
Dr Paul O’Connell, a locum GP registered with Cardiff and Vale College well being board, is a co-founder of an organization known as Dietary Sciences Ltd (buying and selling as Bodily Diet) although he isn’t a director. In 2023 the enterprise made £961,377 in revenue, nicely up from the earlier 12 months’s £246,044. However we will reveal there are severe considerations over movies selling the agency’s dietary supplements on social media.
The movies typically begin with a scrubs-donning Dr O’Connell making a placing declare, akin to that consuming cereal “causes you joint ache”, earlier than a 20-minute spiel that concludes with the advantages of the agency’s tablets.
The merchandise embrace a “blood sugar method” and dietary supplements for “prostate well being” and “joint well being” — however we now have spoken to consultants with fierce criticisms, starting from questionable elements to “dangerously deceptive” claims in adverts. The NHS advised us it’s reviewing the considerations over Dr O’Connell’s conduct.
Dr O’Connell, 53, denied wrongdoing and a Bodily Diet spokesman mentioned: “We take our regulatory obligations very severely, and make sure that all claims we make about our merchandise are scientifically supported.”
The ‘blood sugar method’
Our investigation into the corporate started after we had been contacted by a involved GP, Dr John Cormack — primarily based in Essex, some 200 miles from Dr O’Connell — about adverts that stored flashing up on his Fb feed.
Dr Cormack was troubled by movies promoting the corporate’s Gluco Help complement, priced at £69.95 for 90 tablets, that are claimed to assist prospects “keep wholesome blood sugar ranges” utilizing “superfood” elements. The movies’ characters described well being episodes akin to collapsing at a marriage due to “spiking” blood sugar, and the way the product had modified their lives.
Though the footage didn’t point out the phrase “diabetes”, Dr Cormack feared folks may interpret the product as able to treating diabetes. A “harmful” instance, he felt, was a video that claimed Dr O’Connell had “found a method of controlling your blood sugar stage with out mad exercising, weight-reduction plan and even painful injections”.
Dr Cormack felt this might result in diabetics pondering they might cease taking insulin injections. He was alarmed to see one Fb consumer had commented on the video: “Do you stop diabetic treatment when utilizing this medication?”
The attorneys representing Dr O’Connell mentioned he had “by no means made claims round diabetes”. They argued that fainting at a marriage may very well be brought on by a “wide selection of points” and that the point out of “painful injections” was really a reference to the “probably harmful apply of utilizing weight reduction GLP-1 injections”. He would by no means advise sufferers to cease taking insulin, the solicitors added.
However WalesOnline discovered an advert with a tagline that described Dr O’Connell as a “main diabetes knowledgeable”. The agency’s attorneys advised us this advert could be eliminated and that it was a mistake by a advertising worker who had gone towards the agency’s pointers, which might be “reiterated” to workers.
Subsequent we discovered wording on the Bodily Diet web site that particularly aimed its blood sugar product at “diabetic” folks, telling them “it does not need to be this fashion” and “it could not be simpler to take again management of your well being”.
Bodily Diet accepted this “ought by no means to have been revealed”. Its attorneys advised us our enquiries had prompted it to “urgently assessment its advertising supplies”, resulting in the invention of adverts which “would by no means have been accepted by the senior administration”. Dr O’Connell’s attorneys, in the meantime, mentioned he wasn’t conscious of the diabetes references and didn’t endorse them.
Secrets and techniques of the salamander
A variety of previous situations involving Dr O’Connell had been used to advertise the corporate’s “joint well being” complement, Activ8 Joint Full. In a single video he will be seen sporting black leathers, sprawled on a highway after what he describes as a bike crash. He tells how the accident left him with power joint ache so he carried out analysis to create Activ8, a 90-capsule bottle of which prices £69.95.
In a unique video he describes experiencing long-term joint ache after a pedal cycle accident. In one other he tells of power ache from a “nasty automotive crash”. Once we requested Dr O’Connell what number of highway accidents he had been in, his attorneys responded there had been “various important accidents and quite a few extra minor accidents”.
In a single video Dr O’Connell was described as a “joint well being specialist”. Once we requested if this was true, the GP’s attorneys mentioned he wasn’t conscious he had been characterised on this method and didn’t endorse it. However the description, we identified, got here from his personal voiceover.
Dr O’Connell mentioned he didn’t recall utilizing the time period “specialist” however did think about himself a joint knowledgeable, having beforehand led groups that gave “electrical stimulation to neurologically impaired sufferers who suffered from foot drop”. His attorneys added that he additionally carried out an audit on stopping blood clots in joint substitute surgical procedure, and labored with orthopaedic surgeons when he was a basis physician.
The movies advised how Dr O’Connell’s “battle with joint ache” led him to cures derived from “secrets and techniques of the salamander”, an amphibian which has the power to regenerate its tail. However final June these movies led to an Promoting Requirements Authority ruling towards the corporate, which had failed to have interaction with the watchdog throughout its investigation.
The ASA discovered breaches of the promoting code with statements that “a self-healing mechanism can reverse YEARS of arthritis and joint injury” and that cartilage can “regrow identical to hair and nails”, implying a meals complement may deal with human illness. It additionally discovered no proof to help the corporate’s declare that Dr O’Connell was the NHS’ “main joint knowledgeable”.
Bodily Diet advised us it stood by its claims about Activ8 — pointing to Duke College analysis suggesting people have an “interior salamander capability” — however that nonetheless it agreed to take down the movies. But, practically a 12 months on from the ruling, we discovered the agency nonetheless had movies on its social media suggesting the complement may assist regrow cartilage. Once we put this to the enterprise, it mentioned the footage had been “missed in a sweep” after the ruling, and could be eliminated.
We then pointed on the market had been nonetheless claims about “supporting cartilage regrowth” on the web site. Once more, the agency accepted this “ought to not have remained reside” and that “the requirements of its advertising staff’s work fell beneath these acceptable”. It vowed to restrain “gross sales puff” and usher in “a extra sturdy high quality management routine”.
The scathing verdict of a rheumatologist
We requested award-winning marketing consultant rheumatologist Dr Wendy Holden — who’s medical advisor to the Arthritis Motion charity — her ideas on Activ8 itself, which the agency claims to be a “clinically confirmed” joint well being method.
Dr Holden was damning in her evaluation of the tablets’ elements. “Collagen is digested within the intestine and metabolised to glucose simply as any protein is, so collagen taken by mouth can not someway magic itself into the joints, regardless of the claims,” she mentioned.
She additionally questioned the declare that oral hyaluronic acid may assist with joint ache provided that, “like collagen, will probably be digested and does not journey straight to the joints”.
Dr Holden identified that different elements, glucosamine and chondroitin, had been assessed by the UK medical physique NICE as potential reduction for arthritis signs — and the newest steerage states: “Don’t advocate the usage of chondroitin, glucosamine.”
She added: “Probably the most worrying implied declare for me, although, is that Activ8 will someway assist with cartilage regeneration. Duke College has proven that people have molecules much like these present in salamanders, which can be necessary in cartilage regeneration, however there’s completely no proof that something in Activ8 can affect these substances, and this complete matter may be very a lot on the fundamental science stage.
“I think any advantages from affected person testimonials are as a result of placebo impact which for ache will be as excessive as 30 to 40%,” she mentioned.
The agency’s attorneys accepted there was room for “spirited and even heated scientific debate” about the advantages of the elements. However they mentioned the product was supported by systematic opinions of research involving these elements, which “carry considerably extra weight” than the opinions of any particular person. They added: “Our shopper doesn’t promote medication, and NICE pointers are fully irrelevant to it and its merchandise.”
Dr Holden acknowledged that eggshell membrane, an ingredient, had appeared in a scientific assessment of seven research on easing osteoarthritis ache. However she mentioned all had been “low high quality for a brief period and with few members”, and that any such advantages “would positively not agree with typical medical pondering”.
Dr O’Connell, in the meantime, denied ever claiming cartilage will be solely regrown. His attorneys additionally pointed to a “substantial variety of optimistic opinions” on the web site and the provide of a 90-day refund.
‘Harmful’ prostate well being video
Bodily Diet additionally sells a “males’s well being” complement, ‘Defend + Carry out’, which it says helps “keep a wholesome prostate” at a value of £69.95 for 60 tablets. Once we confirmed one among its adverts — which the agency says is not in use — to the Prostate Most cancers UK charity, it was disturbed.
Within the video, Dr O’Connell warns of “file charges of prostate issues” akin to lack of bladder management, then one other man’s voiceover goes on to say: “It is no marvel so few males get checked, however what if there have been a technique to beat these issues from the consolation of your individual residence?” Recognizing prostate issues too late “will be deadly”, provides the voiceover, persevering with: “Prostate most cancers now kills extra folks than breast most cancers.”
Prostate Most cancers UK felt the video may result in males pondering dietary supplements had been an sufficient different to getting examined for prostate most cancers. The Essex GP, Dr Cormack, had the identical concern.
“Analysis that’s about one thing non-cancerous is introduced and conflated with most cancers, which is dangerously deceptive,” Prostate Most cancers UK’s assistant director of well being enchancment, Amy Rylance, advised us.
Bodily Diet’s attorneys defended the video, saying it warned towards the issue of “under-investigating prostate well being” and that it “makes no claims that its dietary supplements are an acceptable different to medical care”. They mentioned the footage was used between January 2023 and October 2024 however not since then.
Logos used ‘with out permission’
On webpages selling Bodily Diet’s merchandise, there was a curious positioning of the logos of the Guardian, Unbiased and Sky Information above an image of Dr O’Connell thoughtfully holding a finger to his head.
We repeatedly requested the agency why it displayed these logos, with none reply. It was solely once we contacted every information outlet — and every advised us that they had not licensed their emblem for such use — that Bodily Diet’s attorneys responded.
“In any respect materials occasions our shopper believed that it was permitted to make use of the logos of publications/broadcasters with whom it had promoting agreements,” mentioned the solicitors, who added that an inner investigation was underway to verify this was right.
Even when there had been permission, would not the logos have risked deceptive those that there’d been optimistic protection from the information retailers, somewhat than simply promoting? Bodily Diet didn’t reply to this query. O’Connell denied being conscious of the logos’ use.
What motion is being taken?
The ASA advised us there gave the impression to be “ongoing issues” with Bodily Diet’s adverts. The matter has been handed to the watchdog’s compliance staff for “follow-up enforcement motion”, it mentioned.
“Compliance are nonetheless actively working with the advertiser in relation to their non-compliant promoting and can determine to take firmer motion ought to that not outcome on this advertiser making the required amendments,” mentioned the ASA’s spokesman. “Additional motion could end in sanctions being utilized towards this advertiser.”
The “ongoing issues” are a symptom of regulatory toothlessness, based on Les James, a retired scientific analysis scientist and a trustee of the HealthSense charity, which campaigns for evidence-based healthcare.
“The issue with the ASA is that, though it’s by far essentially the most rigorous of the regulators I do know, it solely operates a voluntary code,” he mentioned. “When it says it could possibly apply sanctions, these really haven’t any authorized pressure, so non-compliant advertisers can take no discover by any means.
“The ASA refers to their authorized backstop Buying and selling Requirements, however at HealthSense we now have executed analysis on that and located that there merely aren’t any sufficient assets for this to be efficient. Buying and selling Requirements places of work usually have solely a handful of individuals, typically as few as three.
“The deal that the ASA has with Buying and selling Requirements is that, to start with, non-compliant advertisers are positioned on the naughty step, however this could take a number of months or years to occur. As soon as it does, advertisers can sit on the record for years.”
Bodily Diet — whose administrators run varied different well being companies, together with the multimillion-pound Malaberg Ltd — advised us by way of its attorneys that it was unaware of any follow-up enforcement motion.
What the NHS says
A spokeswoman for Cardiff and Vale well being board advised us: “Dr Paul O’Connell is listed as a locum GP on the Cardiff and Vale College Well being Board medical performers record. Whereas the considerations raised are in relation to Dr O’Connell’s personal work, the well being board will assessment and think about the considerations raised consistent with our commonplace procedures.”
The attorneys representing Dr O’Connell mentioned: “Our shopper is obvious that he has just lately been working as a daily NHS locum GP and absolutely intends to proceed to work as a GP when locum work is out there.”
Requested if he would proceed working with Bodily Diet, his attorneys mentioned the connection “might be stored beneath assessment, because it has been till now (and as with all skilled relationship)”.
On the time of writing, Bodily Diet’s Fb web page is just not seen as a result of it has been reviewing its advertising since we raised considerations, its attorneys mentioned.
A spokesman for Bodily Diet mentioned: “Gluco Help, Activ8, and Carry out + Defend, as with all of our dietary supplements, had been formulated off the again of an in depth physique of analysis from world-leading biomedical scientists, lecturers, and researchers at among the world’s most prestigious establishments.”
If you understand of a narrative we must be investigating, e mail us at conor.gogarty@walesonline.co.uk
