The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has issued a ruling against an aesthetic and wellness clinic following longevity claims in advertisements.
The Rugby-based clinic included an advert in the Rugby Register magazine in November 2022 which called the establishment ‘The Biohacking Wellness Clinic’, alongside the subheading ‘Reversing Ageing, Extending Lifespan’.
The complainant questioned whether this subheading was misleading and could be substantiated. The clinic responded to this, saying the term ‘reversing ageing’ pertained to biological rather than chronological ageing, relating to the concept of epigenetic clocks. They specifically referred to hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) here, saying it could reverse biological ageing. The clinic cited six scientific studies which referred to ageing in this biological framework.
Nevertheless, the ASA upheld the complainants claim, saying ageing refers to the process of chronological cellular damage over time, and the studies cited by the clinic did not provide sufficient evidence to prove that HBOT or the clinic’s other treatments could reverse ageing.
The ASA concluded that the consumer was likely to believe the clinic’s treatments would lead to a longer and healthier life, and this was misleading. The clinic was warned not to disseminate promotional material including the phrase ‘Reversing Ageing, Extending Lifespan’ in the absence of adequate substantiation.
The clinic owner said, “We are disappointed with the current ruling as it stands. We have appealed it with additional clinical trial information and questioned their process, and are awaiting the response from the independent reviewer.”
