Guernsey: Muscle pain claims misleading, says watchdog

First Contact Health specialises in muscle and joint issues

An advert for a Guernsey business specialising in muscle and joint issues has been found to breach the advertising rules.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a complaint against an advert for First Contact Health.

A doctor questioned whether claims in a leaflet for Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment were scientifically proven and could be misleading.

The ASA upheld the complaint and said the ad must not be published again.

The ASA said First Contact Health had been told not to make claims that PRP injections could treat arthritis, tendon problems, torn ligaments and muscles problems in the absence of adequate substantiation.

First Contact Health said it was disappointed with the ASA ruling.

Peter Watson, chairman of the company, said PRP was "still a relatively new treatment that does not have the long-term evidence published in the medical literature which the ASA require for their standards".

Mr Watson said: "Although we are disappointed with the ASA ruling, we are complying with their judgment. First Contact Health is confident that with time the medical evidence will show the benefits of using platelet rich plasma."

Follow BBC Guernsey on Twitter and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].