Geneesmiddelen/medische hulpmiddelen  

RCC 6 juli 2011, Dossiernr. 2011/00489 (Rhumaflex)

Reclamerecht. Advertentie in huis-aan-huisblad over Rhumaflex. Wordt aangeprezen als "wondergel bij last van artrosepijn of stramme gewrichten". Klager stelt dat de suggestie dat de gel werkzaam is bij artrosepijn misleidend is. Aanprijzing geschiedt op dezelfde wijze als eerder product Artrosilium. Naam is gewijzigd maar middel is hetzelfde gebleven. Commissie heeft over Artrosilium al herhaaldelijk geoordeeld dat uiting misleidend is.
Commissie oordeelt dat in eerdere dossiers de uitingen over Artrosilium als misleidend zijn bestempeld, omdat de werking niet voldoende aannemelijk was gemaakt. Onweersproken is gesteld dat Rhumaflex hetzelfde product is als Artrosilium en de samenstelling ongewijzigd is. Oordeelt dat werking Rhumaflex niet aannemelijk is gemaakt. Sprake van onjuiste informatie over voornaamste kenmerken product (art. 8.2 aanhef en onder b NRC). Strijd met art. 7 NRC. Doet aanbeveling. Brengt uitspraak onder aandacht breed publiek (art. 17 lid 1 onder h jo. 18 lid 4 Reglement RCC en CVB) omdat zij al eerder aanbevelingen over hetzelfde product heeft gedaan.

Klaagster heeft onweersproken gesteld dat Rhumaflex onder een andere naam hetzelfde product betreft als Artrosilium. Eveneens onweersproken is dat de samenstelling van Artrosilium – en daarmee van Rhumaflex – ongewijzigd is gebleven. Gelet hierop oordeelt de Commissie dat de in de bestreden uiting gestelde werkzaamheid van Rhumaflex niet is aangetoond of aannemelijk gemaakt. Aldus wordt naar het oordeel van de Commissie in de bestreden uiting onjuiste informatie verstrekt over de voornaamste kenmerken van het product zoals geschiktheid voor het gebruik en van het gebruik te verwachten resultaten, zoals bedoeld in artikel 8.2 aanhef en onder b. van de Nederlandse Reclame Code (NRC).

Lees de gehele uitspraak hier (link / pdf)
Regelingen: NRC art. 7, art. 8.2 aanhef en onder b; Reglement RCC en CVB art. 17 lid 1 onder h, art. 18 lid 4

Ook de Advertising Standards Authorization, de RCC in Groot-Britannië, heeft een bundel uitspraken gepubliceerd. Categorieën variëren van boek over diabetes, dieet, schroothandelaar, afslankproduct, tijdschrift, electronica,
bouwmaterialen, vliegtuigmaatschappij, electrische producten, verwarmingspomp, sportaccessoires, bar, ontgrendelen van mobiel, decoraties, alcoholische drank.

Zie plaatje hieronder, klik voor de directe site hier.

Matt Traverso
Claims on a website, viewed on 13 April 2011, for a book entitled “How to reverse Diabetes”. The ad was headed "The Diabetes-Reversing BreakthroughTM Don't Even Think About Taking More Diabetes Drugs Until You Read This!!". Further text stated "Unconditionally Guaranteed to Normalize Your Blood Sugar Levels and Reverse The Root Cause of Diabetes! ... Hear from the world's top doctors and Nobel Prize winners and learn how to lower your blood sugar naturally and eliminate your...

Leslie Kenton
Claims on a website for the Cura Romana weight loss protocol, on 30 March 2011, stated "You can lose from 15 to 30 pounds a month - in safety, without hunger. Shed resistant fat from thighs, hips and waist that slimming diets don't budge. Restore your body's natural shape permanently ... A double-barrelled weight loss miracle. Cura Romana has two parts to it - a natural Essential Spray, and a highly specific dietary protocol. Together they help burn your inessential fat stores at a rate...

JKL (Wakefield) Ltd
Seven ads, for a scrap metal dealer, on the back of local buses in April 2011, featured images of different women dressed in underwear. Each ad contained text stating "KERCHING! GET MORE CASH FOR YOUR SCRAP AT ERIC FRANCE SCRAP METAL MERCHANTS".a. One ad featured a woman wearing red and white leopard-print underwear and black shoes, lying on her side and propped up on one arm.b. A second ad featured a woman wearing black underwear. She was lying on her back across some large metal...

Power Slim Acai 
A website offering Acai Berry capsules included the text "Increased energy levels Cleanse and detox Reduced appetite stabilized blood sugar levels". Further text stated "Acai Berry Slimming Capsule ABC (Double Effects) is a 100% natural product, which helps as a slimming aid, increases energy levels and improves the complexion Acai Berry Capsule (ABC) contains pure Acai Berry extract and selected Chinese herbs which work in conjunction with Acai to aid weight loss Other...

The Maxim Creative Group Ltd 
An ad, in Retail Design and Technology magazine, dated 25 April 2011. The ad featured a photograph of a woman who had been gagged. Text stated “MAXIMUM DOMINATION CONTROLLING YOUR RETAIL ENVIROMENT...”

The Carphone Warehouse Ltdv
A regional press ad for a technology retailer, on 20 April 2011, was headlined "WE LOVE GREAT DEALS UP TO 50% OFF THIS EASTER at bestbuy.co.uk or in-store". The ad featured an image of a TOSHIBA 32" LCD TV next to a roundel that stated "SAVE £200". Text underneath the image stated "Model:32KV500 Freeview, USB input ... NOW £199.99". The text "was £399.99*" was crossed through. Footnoted text at the bottom of the ad stated "*Previous price...

Scandinavian Log Cabins Direct Ltd 
A website offering building materials, accessed on 24 April 2011, provided VAT-exclusive prices.

Jet2.com Ltd
A website and poster, seen 8 March 2011, promoted air travel.a. The home page featured a photo of a beach scene with blue sky and sea, yellow sand, a palm tree, parasol and sun loungers. Text over the photo read “Summer Flight Sale fm £9.99 one way inc. taxes”.b. A poster on the side of a bus stated “Summer sun flight sale! From £9.99 Jet2.com”.

Buy It Direct Ltd 
A website, on 20 April 2011, for a Fratelli Onofri Imperial 90 cm Fuel Range Cooker. Text stated "Was £3370.19 You save £305.22" and advertised the cooker at £3064.97.

ACS Renewable Solutions Ltd
A mailing, for ACS Renewable Solutions, made a number of claims for an air source heat pump. The mailing included a table labelled "Examples of Actual Customer Savings (after a Heat Pump was installed)", which compared the fuel costs per annum of six different houses before and after a heat pump was installed. One example was a four-bedroom house, which cost £1200 per annum when heated by liquefied petroleum (LPG) and under £400 when heated with a heat pump.

Accapi UK LLP
Claims on a website selling health and sports accessorises, in April 2011, stated "Photonizer Bottle Cover ... Photonizer 4-14 is a revolutionary bottle cover, made using the exclusive Nexus fabric. Thanks to its constant natural emission of infrared rays, it has a beneficial effect on the properties of water and water-based liquids. The effect of the Photonizer 4-14 water bottle and flask cover on water and water-based liquids is very fast. Scientific studies demonstrate that...

Cavendish Bars Trading Ltd
A circular for Wahoo Bar in Southampton, distributed on 16 March 2011, featured a topless woman with the word "Wahoo" placed over each of her nipples, wearing a small pair of knickers

code2unlock
Claims on a website, for mobile phone unlocking, in May 2011, stated "code2unlock. Easy! Mobile unlocking made easy. Learn how to unlock your phone now!" Users were promoted to enter

CODE09
A sponsored link on Google, accessed in March 2011, stated "21 Inch Extendable Baton. Great Selection & Prices on Batons, We Ship Worldwide to United Kingdom".

Cell Drinks
Three video ads on YouTube, seen 29 June 2011, promoted an alcoholic drink, Cell Drink. The videos had been uploaded by the advertisers and also appeared on the Youtube section of their Facebook page.a. One ad opened with on-screen text which stated “The story so far ... Cell Drinks challenged champion free-runner Tim Shieff to test out Cell Drink’s zero spillage claims. Is Cell really ‘made for the Dancefloor’? Let’s find out”. The video featured Tim Shieff free-running and jumping around...

Ook de Advertising Standards Authorization, de RCC in Groot-Britannië, heeft een bundel uitspraken gepubliceerd. Categorieën variëren van vliegtuigmaatschappij, indoor karting, trein, foundation, beton, opticien, voedingscentrum, website, autobedrijf, korting op schoeisel, belasting terugbetaling, vacature, camera, autoradio ontgrendeling, teleshopping, homeopathische producten, iPod dock, gasleverancier, apparaat voor voetenmassage, retailer van vitaminen en voedingssupplementen, vergelijkingswebsite voor verzekeringen, autoverhuur, retailer van kledingcatalogus, opslagbedrijf, fietsaccessoire, anti-rimpel product, tosties, netwerk voor dieren, stofzuiger, energiemaatschappij, attractiepark, vacaturewebsite, telefoon en breedband provider, speeltenten voor kinderen, reisgeld service, metaalrecycling service, cursus autorijden, reiki, drogist, vliegticket, recruitmentbureau, paardenshampoo en zonnepanelen.

Zie plaatje hieronder (klik voor vergroting), klik voor de directe site hier

Ryanair Ltd
A national press ad, for flights, appeared on 16 December 2010. It was headlined “FLY RYANAIR one way from £7”. The ad included a map that showed Dublin as well as images of people who appear

ScotKart Cambuslang
A sponsored link, for an indoor karting centre, stated "Indoor Karting Glasgow Race Scotland's largest 5 Star track with flyover from £10 www.scotkart.co.uk".

Southern Railway Company Ltd
Claims on the Gatwick Express website stated "Gatwick Express is the fastest way between London Gatwick Airport and central London. Running non-stop between London Victoria station and London Gatwick Airport, our dedicated airport train is renowned for its speed and frequency. With a timetable departure of every 15 minutes, and with a journey time of just 30 minutes, Gatwick Express is the best way to get to and from London Gatwick Airport".

L'Oreal (UK) Ltd
A magazine ad for "The Eraser" foundation by Maybelline featured an image of the model Christy Turlington. Parts of her face had been covered by the foundation while other areas were left uncovered to show the effects of the product. Text stated "The Eraser perfect cover foundation. Conceals instantly, visibly, precisely ... Covers dark circles and fine lines to help conceal crow's feet - as if erased! For ultimate flawless-looking perfection ... The Eraser covers, fills and...

L'Oreal (UK) Ltd
A two-page magazine ad for "Teint Miracle" foundation by Lancôme featured an image of Julia Roberts. Text stated "Now, Aura is our science. NEW TEINT MIRACLE NATURAL LIGHT CREATOR - BARE SKIN PERFECTION - Aura is natural light emanating from beautiful skin. We can reproduce this. 10 years of research, 7 patents pending: Lancôme invents its 1st foundation that recreates the aura of perfect skin. Instantly complexion appears naturally bare, beautifully flawless and luminous, as...

Nottingham Ready Mix Ltd
An ad, on the back of a local bus in March 2011, for a company supplying concrete, featured a picture of a woman wearing a short, low-cut black dress lying on her front. Behind the woman was an image of a cement mixer and a man laying cement using a pump. Text stated "Why barrow it ... pump it! ... YOU THINK SHE LOOKS GOOD...CHECK OUR NEW CONCRETE PUMP!!"

Specsavers Hearcare Ltd
Two national press ads for Specsavers. Both were headed “AT SPECSAVERS, THE PRICE OF ALL OUR HEARING AIDS INCLUDES EVERYTHING YOU NEED. AT BOOTS, IT DOESN’T” and further text stated “At Specsavers, we know that there are essential extras you need when buying hearing aids, which is why we include them in our prices. We’ll not only give you two digital hearing aids for the price of one but we’ll include four years’ worth of batteries, a four-year guarantee, and aid enhancements such as...

The International Centre for Nutritional Excellence Ltd
An insert in a specialist magazine for sheep farmers was headlined "The International Centre for Nutritional Excellence. CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLOSTRUM WINTER 2010". The next page was headlined "What should I look for in Quality Colostrum Substitutes" and highlighted the benefits of various ingredients in the substitutes. Text continued "Why the label doesn't tell the whole story. While the labels on colostrum products give you useful information about the nutritional...

the-social-media-people-scam.co.uk
A Google sponsored search ad stated “Social media people scam net66-the social media people AVOID this company is a scam www.the-social-media-people-scam.co.uk.”

Titanium Motors
A classified ad, for Titanium Motors, on www.autotrader.co.uk on 4 May 2011. Text stated "... ONE OWNER WITH FULLY DOCUMENTED FORD SERVICE HISTORY ...".

Sportsdirect.com Retail Ltd
A TV ad (a) and an ad on the Sports Direct International website (b) for a sale on footwear were seen on 21 March 2011.a. The TV featured a voice-over which stated "Massive footwear savings. Adidas Adi5 Turf Boots just £15, yes £15. And Lee Cooper men's and women's canvas trainers are £5, yes, just £5. At over 300 stores nationwide and online". On-screen text read "Offers max 3 per person. Selected styles.".b. The website ad included text which stated "AT LEAST HALF...

Taxback Republic
Text on a website, for a tax refund service, stated "We are bonded by the Association of Tax Agents" and included a number of testimonials from individuals.

The Emergency Services Media Department Ltd
An ad, on a jobseekers website, for a job vacancy, was viewed on 14 March 2011. Text stated "ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE ... Wage EXCEEDS NAT MIN WAGE + COMMISSION ... Hours 30 HOURS PER WEEK, MON-THU 9AM-4PM FRI 9AM-2PM ...".

Camerabox Ltd
An ad for a camera was seen on the Camerabox Ltd website on 20 March 2011. Below the product details text stated "LIVE STOCK 4 Available".

Car Radio Unlocking
A sponsored search ad for Car Radio Unlocking, seen on 4 April 2011, stated “Car Radio Unlocking £2.79 - Radio Unlocking Instant Service - Unlock your Radio Today. UK Service [website address].”

Coloured Rocks Ltd
A teleshopping presentation, on Gems TV, gave details of two items.The first item was a tanzanite 9 carat yellow gold ring. The presenter said “Based on our research of three high street stores and their bands of yellow gold, this is the price tag of the gold alone that you’re about to see on your screen - just the 3.4 grams of gold, based on our research.” On-screen text stated “£180”. The presenter continued “So, at £180, that’s how much the gold would cost, we reckon, for the gold alone in...

Ainsworths (London) Ltd
A leaflet that offered "Homeopathic Travel Prophylaxis" made a number of claims about the ways that homeopathic products could help people when they travelled abroad. Under the heading “HOMEOPATHIC PROPHYLAXIS”, text stated “Conventional holiday vaccination involves injecting a foreign protein into the blood. Homeopathic prevention is more subtle and relies on an oral dose of the same material in a highly diluted and potentised form. We offer homeopathic alternatives to conventional...

Avland Ltd
Claims on a website for an iPod docking station, in May 2011, stated "Denon ASD-11R iPod Docking Station ... Compatible with 4th gen iPod onwards, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, iPod Mini and Apple iPhone". A chart underneath titled "Supported iPods" featured an image of the relevant iPod products and text stating the specific models supported. Text next to the image of the iPod Touch stated "8GB, 10GB, 32GB".

British Gas Services Ltd
A TV ad, a radio ad, a poster and three national press ads for British Gas Services' same day repair and next day replacement boiler service. a. The TV ad showed how a family's world cou

Comfort Click Ltd
Claims on Comfort Click's website for a "Bioenergiser TM Electro Flex Circulation Enhancer" included "Bad circulation is not something you just have to learn to live with. While doctors usually recommend difficult-to-implement solutions to deal with poor circulation, you can fix it by just literally putting your feet up. The Electro Flex Circulation Enhancer works using the traditional art of reflexology to target specific areas on your feet with a tiny electrical current. The...

Holland & Barrett Retail Ltd
A TV ad, for Holland & Barrett, viewed on 4 May 2011, featured Gethin Jones telling customers about half price savings on a range of products. On-screen text stated "Subject to availab

Inspop.com Ltd
Two TV ads and a radio ad, for an insurance price comparison website. The radio ad was heard on 18 February 2011. The TV ads, which were viewed between November 2010 and March 2011, showed animated characters singing and dancing in a large group:a. The voice-over in the first TV ad stated “Confused.com, 18 million strong and growing”. Text on screen stated “18 Million Strong. Love Confused.com”.b. Text on screen in the second TV ad stated “18 million strong and growing”, then “20 million...

Last Minute Network Ltd
A website, on 13 April 2011, advertised car hire offers. Text stated "FREE additional driver offers worldwide Barbados Dubai New Zealand Thailand europe France Germany Turkey Spain Alicante Barcelona Madrid Malaga".

Damartex UK Ltd
A direct mailing, for a clothing catalogue retailer, stated “Designated finalist in our 5 WINNERS OF 5 X £1000 Pocket the Cheque Prize Draw Strictly confidential!! Confirmation of your status is enclosed! ... 5 names to be selected, as winners will each receive a cheque for the sum of £1,000.00!”. The mailing included a list headed “OFFICIAL EXTRACT LIST OF FINALISTS”; the complainant’s details appeared in the list. Text below stated “REMINDER: The first 5 people drawn as winners in the ‘5 x...

David Roberts
Two price comparison claims, on The Big Space's website, on 21 April 2011, compared the cost of storage at The Big Space with its competitor Flexistore Ltd. In respect of four boxes for four weeks, using the "instant quote" facility on the website, text stated "The total for your storage would be £16.00 ... Here are our competitors' prices ... Flexistore (Edinburgh) £169.00 ... ". In respect of nine boxes for 18 weeks, using the "instant quote" facility on the...

Fat Boy Imports
A banner ad for "Pump n Ride" inner tubes, on a website for bicycle accessories on 15 March 2011, featured an image of a woman wearing a black leather cap and studded leather bra, holding a length of rubber tubing. Text stated "She might go down on you ...", followed by an arrow pointing at the woman. Further text stated "These won't!", followed by an arrow pointing at a box of "Pump n Ride" inner tubes.

Radialabsdirect.net
Three banner ads and a website for an "instant wrinkle reducer".a. The first banner stated "RADIALABS instant wrinkle reducer... REDUCE WRINKLES IN 4 WEEKS!” and featured a before and after picture of a model's face.b. The second banner stated "RADIALABS instant wrinkle reducer... AS FEATURED IN VANITYREPORTS CLAIM YOUR SAMPLE" and featured a before and after picture of a model's eye area.c. The third banner ad stated "Radialabs instant wrinkle reducer... RESERVE...

Shazan Foods Ltd
A TV ad for Shazan's Paratha Toasties featured various shots of the products.

Network for Animals Ltd
A direct mailing, for donations to help dogs rescued from the dog trade in the Philippines, received in February 2011, included a number of pictures of adults and children with dogs. Text underneath stated "Having been saved from their captors they are immediately taken to have their injuries assessed, medication prescribed and when they are fit and healthy they will all be spayed/neutered. Then begins the lengthy period of nursing them back to health where through the patient...

Panasonic UK Ltd
a. A press ad pictured a woman pushing a vacuum cleaner and was headlined “UNRIVALLED SUCTION, MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY. WE’VE REALLY CLEANED UP”. Text stated “The Panasonic UL594 is part of a new range of vacuum cleaners that have Eco ideas at their heart. Featuring our unique Eco-Max motor, it uses energy more efficiently to deliver unrivalled suction power for an upright bagless vacuum - making cleaning effortless. As part of a new generation of home appliances from Panasonic, it...

Spark Energy Ltd
Claims made on an energy company's own website, accessed in early April 2011.

Thorpe Park Operations Ltd
A TV ad, for a new ride at Thorpe Park, featured two cleaners at work. One was shown mopping the floor while the other stood on a floor-buffing machine as it turned. The voice-over stated "Errrr, what is this? A spinning fool? Well my friend, for thrills, get a load of these". The ad showed images of a roller coaster-style ride followed by images of the man on the machine spinning at an increased pace. The voice-over continued "Yeah, you're spinning faster, but without...

Totaljobs Group Ltd
A claim on the Totaljobs website on 10 March 2011 stated “94,618 jobs from 4,743 companies across the UK”.

TalkTalk Telecom Ltd
A TV ad for a phone and broadband provider featured a voice-over accompanied by changing on-screen text. The voice-over stated "Would you like to save over 140 pounds a year on your calls and broadband? Well, it couldn't be easier." On-screen text stated "SAVE OVER £140". Small print at the bottom of the screen stated "TT Essentials package. 40GB download limit. Connection £29.99. £12.30 monthly line rental. 18-mnth min contract. Conditions apply. Direct...

The Win Green Trading Company Ltd
A catalogue, for children’s play tents, viewed on 13 April 2011. The ad featured a photograph which showed two children playing with the Fire Station tent. The picture included a real fire that one child was pretending to extinguish.

Marks and Spencer Financial Services plc
A press ad for a travel money service was headlined "Wherever you're off to, we've got your currency". Further text included "with no hidden charges, and 0% commission on foreign currency”.

Dalton Group Ltd
A poster for a metal recycling service, which was seen on the side of a lorry on 14 April 2011, featured an image of a woman who was kneeling on the floor with her back to the camera. She was wearing a pair of low-slung jeans that exposed the top of her bottom and her torso was covered only by a pair of braces.

Easy as HGV Ltd
Claims on Easy as HGV's website on 25 March stated "With an LGV driving licence, you will be fully equipped to begin a new and flexible career” and “Easy As HGV have made HGV Training a very simple process, by arranging EVERYTHING from start to finish and it can be done in no time at all". In a list of bullets points describing the training course, the website stated "“Excellent pay - earn up to 30k a year!”. “Very high demand for qualified drivers,” and “Begin your 5...

Allan Sweeney
Claims that appeared on 29 March 2011 on reiki-healing.com stated under the sub heading THERAPY AND LEARNING "Heaven-by-the-Sea offers complementary therapies that complement doctors. In GP's surgeries, 71% of chronic patients the doctor could not help were helped by the complementary therapist! So there is a good chance one of our wide range of therapies may also help you! Therapies can be received as a patient or studied as a student. Effective therapies offered include for...

Boots UK Ltd
An online sales promotion on Boots’ website stated “3 for 2 across all vitamins, complementary medicines and herbal products”. The promotion included the following products and claims: "Metatone Original Flavour Tonic - 500ml ... Metatone Tonic Original Flavour helps restore Health & Vitality after illness such as colds and flus, and when you are feeling tired and run down". "Potters Allerclear - 84 Tablets ... Potter's Allerclear Tablets contain a unique...

Flying Eagles Ltd
A website listing seen in March 2011 stated “437 RTincl.taxesPhoneonly deal. London (LHR) to Singapore (SIN), Check specific date availability with partner. Depart between 24 Apr 11 - 30 Jun 11, check return dates with partner. Genie Flights Phone only deal”.

International Hospitality Recruitment
Claims on a hospitality recruitment agency website which appeared in April 2011 stated "IHR [International Hospitality Recruitment] team has over 50 years of Hospitality, Catering and Leisure industry experience internationally. Combined team experience in the hospitality recruitment industry is over 10 years."

LCT Medical Ltd
A TV ad seen in March 2011 promoted a horse shampoo. The presenter stood in front of a horse that was being shampooed and stated "Cleanround can keep your horse healthy. It kills bacteria, fungi and viruses, including strangles." On-screen text stated "Kills Strangles & Ringworm".

Green Sun Ltd
A magazine ad for solar panels, in January 2011, was headlined "NOW you can PROFIT from your energy bills with SOLAR P.V. The BEST INVESTMENT for your home that you'll ever make!". Text underneath stated "A typical domestic SOLAR P.V. system from Green Sun could - ... ADD UP TO 10% TO THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY Installing a Green Sun Solar PV system could also increase the value of your home ... PROTECT YOURSELF FROM EVER RISING ENERGY COSTS There is less need to worry...

HGV Training Nationwide
a. A sponsored link on Google stated “HGV & LGV Training Prices - We Find The Best Price Guaranteed Compare training prices now! [website]”. b. The website offering to compare training courses stated “We will find the very best package that takes all your needs into consideration such as budget, whether you need help with finance, distance you are prepared to travel and any other factors that need considering when choosing whom to do your training with. We work alongside some...

HvJ EU 12 mei 2011, gevoegde zaken C-400/09 en C-207/10 (concl. A-G Y.Bot, Orifarm c.s. tegen Merck Sharp Dohme en Paranova c.s. tegen Merck Sharp Dohme)

Met eerdere conclusie A-G Y. Bot IEF 9649. Prejudiciële vragen Højesteret, Denemarken. Merkenrecht. Ompakken van parallel ingevoerde geneesmiddelen. Uitleg ompakkingsjurisprudentie Hoffmann-La Roche (23 mei 1978), Pfizer (3 december 1981), MPA Pharma und Bristol-Myers Squibb (11 juli 1996). Maakt parallelimporteur, die houder is van een licentie voor het op de markt brengen van een ingevoerd geneesmiddel en die zich zelf op de nieuwe verpakking als ompakker vermeldt, inbreuk op het merkrecht van de merkhouder, ondanks het feit dat het geneesmiddel in werkelijkheid door een onafhankelijke onderneming is gekocht en omgepakt?

31. De merkhouder heeft er dan ook geen rechtmatig belang bij te eisen dat de naam van de daadwerkelijke ompakker van het product op de verpakking wordt vermeld om de enkele reden dat de ompakking de oorspronkelijke toestand van dit product aantasten kan en dus eventueel de merkrechten kan schaden.

32. Het belang van de merkhouder bij het behoud van de oorspronkelijke toestand van het zich in de verpakking bevindende product wordt immers voldoende beschermd door de in punt 27 van het onderhavige arrest in herinnering gebrachte voorwaarde dat is aangetoond dat de ompakking de oorspronkelijke toestand van dat product niet kan aantasten. In omstandigheden als die in de hoofdgedingen moet dit worden aangetoond door de houder van de vergunning voor het in de handel brengen, volgens wiens instructies de ompakking heeft plaatsgevonden en die de verantwoordelijkheid voor deze ompakking op zich neemt.

34. Uit de bewoordingen van artikel 7, lid 2, van richtlijn 89/104 blijkt duidelijk dat de uitzondering op het in deze bepaling neergelegde beginsel van de uitputting van het aan het merk verbonden recht beperkt is tot de bescherming van de rechtmatige belangen van de merkhouder, terwijl de specifieke bescherming van de rechtmatige belangen van de consument door andere rechtsinstrumenten wordt verzekerd.

Hof verklaart voor recht:

Artikel 7, lid 2, van de Eerste richtlijn 89/104/EEG van de Raad van 21 december 1988 betreffende de aanpassing van het merkrecht der lidstaten, moet aldus worden uitgelegd dat de houder van een aan een farmaceutisch product dat parallel wordt ingevoerd verbonden merk, zich niet op basis van deze bepaling kan verzetten tegen de verdere verhandeling van dit omgepakte product op de enkele grond dat de nieuwe verpakking als ompakker niet de onderneming vermeldt die dit product in opdracht daadwerkelijk heeft omgepakt en die over een vergunning beschikt om dit te doen, maar de onderneming die de houder van de vergunning voor het in de handel brengen van dit product is, volgens de instructies waarvan de ompakking is verricht en die de verantwoordelijkheid voor deze ompakking op zich neemt.

Kamerbrief Minister VWS over beleidsagenda vervalste geneesmiddelen en medische hulpmiddelen, kenmerk GMT/MVG/3071128, beleidsagenda (hier)

Uit de brief: Evenals horloges, tassen e.d. van bekende ontwerpers blijken ook medische producten te worden vervalst. Hoewel hierbij uiteraard ook sprake kan zijn van een inbreuk op het intellectuele eigendom van partijen, is er bij medische producten ook een ander probleem aan de orde, namelijk het risico voor de volksgezondheid. Het perspectief van de volksgezondheid is voor mij de reden om beleid te maken op dit terrein. Wellicht ten overvloede merk ik hierover op dat ik mij slechts richt op het gezondheidsbelang en het voorkomen van gezondheidsschade en niet op mogelijke inbreuk op het intellectuele eigendoms-recht, wat een economisch delict is.

Uit de agenda: De WHO en Raad van Europa hebben de definitie van een vervalst medisch product als volgt bepaald:

• Een vervalst medische product beschrijft een product die een valse representatie (a) van zijn identiteit (B) en/of bron (c) geeft. Dit is op het product, zijn verpakking of etiketteringsinformatie van toepassing.³⁵
• Medische producten die niet binnen bepaalde landen op de markt zijn (toegelaten), maar wel in bepaalde andere landen zijn geen vervalsingen. Bijvoorbeeld door de Amerikaanse Food and Drug Administration (FDA) goedgekeurde medische producten die niet binnen de EU geregistreerd zijn, zijn geen vervalsing, maar mogen toch niet in de EU verkocht en gebruikt worden.³⁶
• De schendingen of de geschillen betreffende octrooien moeten niet met het vervalsen van medische producten worden verward.³⁷
• Vervalste medische producten kunnen producten zijn met correcte ingrediënten, met verkeerde ingrediënten, zonder ingrediënten, met onjuiste hoeveelheden ingrediënten, of met valse verpakking.³⁸

35 Een voorbeeld hiervan is de vervalste zuurstof-saturatiemeter
36 De definitie van vervalsing volgens de WHO geldt wereldwijd. Dit betekent dat een medisch hulpmiddel dat bijvoorbeeld door FDA in Amerika goedgekeurd is maar geen CE-markering heeft, binnen Europa niet als een vervalsing kan worden gezien. Het is namelijk wereldwijd wel ergens als een medisch hulpmiddel op de markt conform de eisen die dat werelddeel stelt.
37 Een replica is niet per definitie als een vervalst medisch hulpmiddel. Indien de replica de conformiteitbeoordelingsprocedure met goed resultaat heeft afgerond en dus voldoet aan alle gestelde wettelijke eisen, kan de originele fabrikant besluiten om het dispuut uit te vechten op het terrein van merkenrecht/ intellectueel eigendom.
38 Naar aanleiding van de incidenten gemeld bij het gebruik van borstimplantaten geproduceerd door een firma in Frankrijk, heeft het “Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé” (AFSSAPS) een inspectie uitgevoerd. Vastgesteld werd dat de implantaten gevuld werden met een ander type siliconegel dan aangegeven in het CE-certificatiedossier. Deze prothesen zijn dus niet conform de wetgeving betreffende medische hulpmiddelen.
https://www.fagg-afmps.be/nl/news/news_implants_mammaires_pip.jsp

Ook de Advertising Standards Authorization, de RCC in Groot-Britannië, heeft een bundel uitspraken gepubliceerd. Categorieën variëren van holistische zorg, prijsvraag bij bier, evenementenwervingbureau, vrouwencentrum, shampoo, fotocamera, Groupon, verhuizersgilde, autobedrijf, telefoonabonnement, slotenmaker, bedrijf wat advertentieruimte aanbiedt, keukenproducten, download service voor spelletjes op mobiel, brandstofbesparend product, supermarkt, dieetprogramma, vliegmaatschappij, anti-rimpel crème, marketing website, Virgin Media, website voor domeinnamen, oplossing tegen stotteren, garage, vergelijking van financiële producten, biologische boerderij.

Zie plaatje hieronder (klik voor vergroting), klik voor de directe site hier

Organic Trade Board
A magazine ad for organic farming that featured a man and his son dressed in a pantomime cow costume was headlined "We love organic because we care about animals". Text beneath quoted the man featured in the ad and said "I like to see myself as the brains of this outfit, even if my son doesn't agree! But when he told me about organic, well, I never looked back. Organic means fewer drugs or antibiotics, it also means better conditions for animals so they get to thrive and grow more naturally....

Moneysupermarket.com Ltd
Website and email for a financial products comparison service: a. The website included the text "“EXCLUSIVE CREDIT CARDS...Because we’re Britain’s No. 1 comparison site we have been able to negotiate great exclusive deals especially for moneysupermarket.com customers. Use our free, independent comparison to find the best offers you can’t find elsewhere.” On the page for all UK credit cards, the “Smart Search” feature was offered as an “Exclusive service” and stated “Get approved first time....

Lawrence of Kemnay Ltd
A regional press ad, for a car dealership, appeared on 3 March 2011. It was headlined “CUSTOMER SAVING £3400” and included an image of a car. Further text stated “new model fordfiesta edge 1.25 (60PS) 3-dr New on the road price £12,395 Our on the road price £8,995 HURRY - limited number available for immediate delivery on ‘11’ reg ... ”.

Stammering Cure
A website, on 5 April 2011, with the url www.stammeringcure.org. Text stated "... Discover how to stop stuttering with stammering cure that works ... You can Click Here Now to check out one thing that really helped me with my stammer ...". A number of hyperlinks on the website led to www.killyourstutter.com, a site which advertised a product that claimed to cure a stutter.

Webfusion Ltd
A website for domain names gave prices for various types of domain names including ".co.uk £2.99 a year". Text at the bottom of the home page stated "All prices Ex. VAT".

Virgin Media Ltd
a. A national press ad for Virgin Media seen in September and October 2010 stated "Fibre optic broadband £15 a month - It's official, Ofcom have proven our fibre optic broadband is around twice as fast as BT, Sky and Talk Talk's comparable packages, even at peak times†". The cross sign was linked to footnote text which stated "Source: Ofcom, July 2010. Virgin Media up to 10Mb broadband compared to competitors 8Mb or 10Mb broadband". b. A second national press ad also seen in September and...

Suntek Group
A marketer's own website, accessed on 16 April, stated "The best things in life are free ... like FREE SHIPPING! In addition to our recent storewide price reduction, we are now offering worldwide free shipping for all items and on all orders! No minimum purchase requirements!"

kgb (UK) Ltd
A sales promotion, on the kgb website, viewed on 28 March 2011. Text stated “£26 for a two-month supply of Acai Anti-Wrinkle Capsules worth £99.98 from i want to pay less - save 74%"

bmibaby Ltd
A promotional e-mail and a website for an airline promotion offering discounts on flights: a. The email ad stated "Gotta fly, baby! Up to 40% off ALL flights!" b. The website also stated "Up to 40% off ALL flights!". Terms and conditions at the bottom of the next page, after clicking on the promotion, stated "Offers available until Tuesday 22nd March. Up to 40% off applies to the airfare only and excludes airport taxes and charges".

Alegiance Services Ltd
An ad for a diet programme on the website www.dailyhealthalerts.com stated “Acai berries are the latest weight loss fad ... While there are ton’s [sic] of Acai berry ads online, Acai Diet Plus is one of the most credible and trustworthy suppliers on the market. It included the free* trial of the product and it did not try to fool me into agreeing to additional hidden offers”. Additional text featured in a customer testimonial stated "I couldn‘t be any happier with the results. I Lost 6 kgs in...

Aldi Stores Ltd
An e-mail, for Aldi supermarket, had the subject heading "Try the Aldi challenge today". The body of the e-mail had the headline "Try the Aldi challenge today and see how much you can save!". Below were two images, one showing 13 premium brand products with the text "Other supermarkets £13.92", and next to it the second featuring 13 equivalent Aldi products and the text "Your Aldi store ONLY £7.53". Text between the two images stated "SWAP &...

Global Gateway AS
Claims on the VIABTOR website, for a fuel saving device, stated "VIABTOR FOR GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND PRIVATE ECONOMY ... DRIVE CHEAPER AND MORE ECO FRIENDLY ... By using the VIABTOR you can contribute to solving the huge problems the world is facing today: climate changes, pollution and CO2 emissions ... Comprehensive tests show that from the moment the VIABTOR is fitted the car becomes more fuel efficient and produces less pollution ... GET A VIABTOR FOR YOUR CAR AND SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT AND YOUR...

Jesta Digital GmbH
A TV ad for a mobile phone game download service, broadcast in April 2011, featured a voice-over which stated "Get this SMS spy app on your mobile and subscribe for £4.50 per week! Fool your friends and pretend that you read other people's text messages. Just enter the phone number of your victim and spy his SMS box. Send 'Spy' to XXXXX. This fun app can hack into your friend's mobiles and give you all their incoming and very private SMS messages. So try it! Just text 'Spy' to XX XXX. That’s...

Jean Patrique Cookware Ltd
Two promotional e-mails, for kitchenware products, included an image of electronic salt and pepper mills: a. The first ad was sent on 3 March 2011 and had the subject heading “Electronic Salt and Pepper Mills only 1.99 GBP RRP 49.99 GBP”. The e-mail was headlined “ELECTRONIC SALT & PEPPER MILLS RRP £49.99 You SAVE £48 per Pair. Text below stated “This is an Incredible OFFER ! ...HURRY UP ! Attention: Offer only valid while stocks last!” and showed “£49.99” crossed out; “ONLY £1.99”...

Hansa Media Ltd
A mailing, dated 07/03/2011, from a company selling advertising space stated "Your business details will appear on www.searchforcompanies.co.uk”. It was laid out in tabular format with the headings "Unit", "Quantity", "Price per month" and “Total amount". It also provided a customer number, web pin number and a payment date. It also provided bank transfer and cheque details for payment. Text at the foot of the mailing stated "This document is not a demand for payment. It is an invitation to...

Lock-Serv
Claims on the Salisbury Locksmiths 24-7 website on 5 March 2011 included “Locksmith Salisbury Locksmiths In Salisbury 24 Hour Locksmith Salisbury No Callout Charges In Salisbury Local Locksmith In Salisbury ... Salisbury Locksmiths 24-7 originally started off in Salisbury in 2006 ... We have a large coverage of highly skilled locksmiths in Salisbury ... Salisbury Locksmiths 24-7 can be at your door within 30 Minutes of your call day or night ... ”.

Hutchison 3G UK Ltd
Claims on Three's website, viewed on 27 March 2011, stated "No other network gives you more for £10. More minutes, texts, and internet You get a great value package when you convert £10 of credit into our All in One 10 Add-on. See the table below to find out how we compare to these other high-street operators". The table compared Three's package to those of Orange, T-Mobile, Tesco, Virgin, Asda, Vodafone and O2.

Midland Van Conversions
Claims on a website for a van conversion company, in April 2011, stated "Based in the heart of England, Midland van conversions have over 40 years experience within the motortrade and specialise in the conversions of all makes of panel van". The 'Gallery' section of the website featured photos of different van conversions.

National Guild of Removers Storers
Text on the National Guild of Removers & Storers website stated "No other organisation or firm comes close to matching The Guild and its Members when it comes to consumer protection measures".

MyCityDeal Ltd
Two e-mails for Groupon deal of the day coupons: a. One e-mail, sent on 15 February, stated "£98 for £1650 towards Invisalign Teeth-Bracing Technology and Whitening at Q Clinic. View now For £98,00 [sic] Discount 94% Saving £1552,00 [sic]". Underneath, below the heading "Highlights" text stated "£1650 discount on the full price (usually £3,500)" and text under the heading "Fine Print" stated "Holder must pay remaining balance". b. The second e-mail, sent on 5 March, stated "Today's Extra...

DSG Retail Ltd
An electronics website advertising the NIKON Coolpix S8000 Compact Digital Camera listed the price as £119.97 and stated "Save a total of £130.02". When clicking the ad, on 30/03/2011, a second page loaded which informed consumers that the product was not available and recommended an alternative camera.

Alberto-Culver Company (UK) Ltd
a. A press ad was headed "10x stronger after just one use* Naturally". The body copy stated "With fewer sulphates and silicone free conditioning, new TRESemme Naturals won't dry out or weigh down your hair. With natural extracts of avocado, sweet orange and aloe vera, it helps to hydrate and smooth. Giving you hair that's 10X stronger after only one use. Get salon performance naturally, at a price that feels right". Text at the bottom of the ad stated "*TRESemme Naturals Shampoo and...

Albany Womens Centre
A company listing on Yell.com, for a pregnancy advice service, appeared under a search listing for 'Abortion Clinics'. The ad stated "Albany Women's Centre [address]. Considering Abortion? Free Pregnancy Testing Information & Advisory Service Quick & Confidential Morning After? Polish And Spanish Spoken".

Alfa Agency
Two online ads for an events recruitment company: a. The first ad, on the FRIDAY-AD website on 7 April 2011, was headlined "Alfa Agency Pr Events staff Models required work available ...". Text underneath stated "Alfa Agency Pr events staff Models required work available right now. Events/promotional staff/Models required for events. If you have any experience in these areas and wish to earn good rates, please email us with your CV and a photograph ... Currently we have positions to fill for...

Carlsberg UK Ltd
A prize promotion, on packs of Carlsberg, in January 2011, stated “Main Competition 2. There are 14 main prizes to be won in total. One prize will be won every week for the duration of the promotion. Each main prize consists of a 47 inch LG 3D TV, a Sky+HD box, a years subscription to Sky World and Sky+HD, and four pairs of 3D glasses. Everyone who buys a promotional pack will also be eligible to send off for a free pair of Carlsberg pint glasses ... All entries must be received by 7th...

Anette Poths
A website on 25 April 2011, for Anette Poths holistic family care, stated "Reflexology is deeply relaxing, aids elimination of toxins, improves circulation and digestion, increases energy levels and promotes mental and emotional well-being".

De Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland, de RCC in Ierland, heeft een bundel uitspraken gepubliceerd. Categorieën variëren van telefoonabonnementen, bier, zorgverzekeringen, bookmaker, netwerkaanbieder, resort, pakketdienst, reiki beoefenaar, centrum voor afvallen, auto, online in- en verkoop, tentoonstelling, onderhoud auto, autoverzekering, energieleverancier, auto verkoop.

Zie plaatje hieronder (klik voor vergroting), klik voor de directe site hier

Paddy Power
A leaflet handed out at the Ireland V England rugby match in the Aviva Stadium stated
“Treble The Odds
Open a new phone account. bet €50 and we’ll TREBLE the odds for you! That’s €50 at...

Diageo
An outdoor poster campaign featured a frosted glass of Budweiser Ice Cold beside a frosted Budweiser bar tap. One of the captions stated “Budweiser ICE COLD. THE COLDEST PINT EVER. CHILLED BELOW ZERO.”

VHI Healthcare
The announcer stated the following:
“Vhi Healthcare is still the cheapest for couples and the cheapest for families, which means great quality healthcare at the best prices. As we’re the only not-for-profit health insurer in Ireland, your care is our only priority. Switch to us now on 1850 44 44 44 or compare and save at vhi.ie. Vhi Healthcare. When you need us we’re there.

Harrington Bookmakers
A leaflet for Harrington Bookmakers was headlined “The Punters No.1 Choice Bookmaker”.

Meteor
The poster advertisement featured various android and smart phones. The bottom left of the advertisement included a claim of “99% Population coverage.”

Delphi Mountain Resort
A brochure for Delphi Mountain Resort featured various special offers including “Unforgettable Family Holidays €999 per family” and “Easter Family Fun From only €259”. Both offers were accompanied by a photo of two children wearing life jackets and an adult with no jacket boating in a lake/river scenario.

Vodafone
Press 1.
The advertisement featured an “I love you” sign and stated “Love your smartphone without the long term contract. Switch to Vodafone. Unlimited free Vodafone calls & texts. Switch to Simply Plus from Vodafone. For just €40 a month you get loads of calls & texts to any network, plus lots of data. So now you can love your Smartphone and your network. Offer ends 30th April.”

City Post
The advertisement was set in a board room scenario with staff members in a meeting and one of them, Sean, was presenting to the meeting:

Abby Wynne
The website was for a reiki practitioner and it claimed that reiki “boosts your body’s natural immune system” and “many people have described how Reiki has helped them recover from life threatening illnesses, severe stress, chronic pain and even cancer. Studies have shown that Reiki helps people recover from surgery much faster than people who have not had Reiki.”

Keith Anthony Weight Loss Centres
A poster advertisement featured a client of Keith Anthony Weight Loss Centres and showed a before photograph of the client also alongside the caption “I’ve lost 4 stone 3lbs in 14 weeks.” The headline stated “Strictly no bars, no sachets, no supplements, no gimmicks.” The advertisement provided a web address and further contact details for the weight loss centres.

Renault
The advertisement featured four men whispering the words of the song I love Rock ‘N Roll while driving with a baby in the back seat. They pulled up to the side of the road to drop the baby with the mother and then continued on driving while singing at the top of their voice. It appeared the men were driving to a sporting event.

VHI Healthcare
Radio - VHI Cheapest For Couples & Families
VO: VHI Healthcare is still the cheapest for couples and the cheapest for families which means great quality healthcare at the best prices. As for the only not for profit health insurer in Ireland, your care is our only priority. Switch to us now on 1850 444444 or compare and save at vhi.ie. VHI healthcare, when you need us we’re there. Savings based on VHI one plus plan versus Quinn essential plus excess and Aviva I&We level 2 excess. Terms and conditions apply.

Heineken Ireland
The scene opened with a male passenger in a train compartment with a bottle of Heineken and the train pulling into a station. He placed a beer mat on top of the bottle and headed outside to buy a paper. On his return, he encountered a couple, in what he believed to be his compartment and the woman was sitting sipping a Heineken.

Deal Solo
The radio advertisement featured a female voice over who said “Buying Selling DealSolo.ie”. A child’s voice then said “It’s feckin’ great. The word feckin’ had been partially beeped out.

MCD Promotions
Press
“The Pharaoh has arrived! …. Tutankhamun. His tomb and his treasures. A major exhibition of the international archaeological sensation. The spectacular reconstruction of the pharaoh’s tomb and treasures. RDS, Dublin. Venue box office open daily from 10am – 7pm.”

VHI Healthcare
Press
The headline caption stated “Vhi Healthcare Cheapest for Individuals, Couples and Families.” Below it stated “As we are the only not for profit health insurer in Ireland, your care is our only priority. Compare our prices and then switch to us on 1850 44 44 44 or visit vhi.ie.” A table below compared the Vhi One Plus Plan for Families, Couples and the Vhi One Plan for Individuals with a comparable plan from Aviva and Quinn. It showed that in the examples quoted, VHI was cheaper that its competitors.” The footnote stated “Terms and conditions apply. Savings correct at time of going to print.”

Audi Ireland
A promotion for an Audi Service with Audi South Dublin Service Centre offered “Seasonal service offers from only €119.99. Full Service from only €189.99. Brake fluid change from only €79.99” and “Air Conditioning service from only €99.99.”

No Nonsense Insurance
The advertisement featured three plastic dolls dressed as insurance workers, and they were sitting around the canteen table talking about car insurance:
FVO (Woman): “And he says… is there anything you can do on the price… and I says… of course there is now Michael have you considered the sex change...what says he?...a sex change… says I ... taking a spanner and making a few adjustments because if you’re to come back a woman say in ten years, we’ve great deals for the mature lady driver.”

Airtricity
The advertisement showed various everyday life scenarios that were powered by Airtricity energy. This included imagery of a sports stadium lit up at night, a hospital ward, the luas, a couple out walking late at night under street lighting and a mother and daughter at bedtime.

eircom
TV
The television advertisement featured babushka dolls and the voice over stated the following:
“There is something very different about the eircom bundle. You still get up to 8mb next generation broadband, you still get unlimited local and national calls and you still get 30 minutes to any mobile network. The only difference is the new small price just €39.99 a month. To switch today call 1800 350 303 or visit eircom.net”

Car Buyers Guide
An advertisement for the Car Buyers Guide featured a couple who were selling their car on the advertisers’ website. The advertisement began with the girl in hot pants and cropped top draped over a car using the automatic feature on a camera to take pictures of herself. Next she was shown uploading the photographs to the advertisers’ website and explaining to her partner that she took some photographs of his car and uploaded them to sell the car. When showing him the photographs she said “I reckon these might sell it.”

Antwoord Kamervragen Aanhangsel Handelingen II 2010/11,  2 915.

Het off-label voorschrijven bij de aanbieders van HCG afslankkuren is nog in onderzoek. De Inspectie blijft bij haar standpunt dat er geen enkele onderbouwing is voor het voorschrijven van HCG voor afvallen. Hierbij moet de kanttekening worden gemaakt dat art. 68 van de Geneesmiddelenwet, dat regels stelt aan off-label voorschrijven, nog niet bestuurlijk beboetbaar is. Bij de wijziging van de Geneesmiddelenwet zal dit wel mogelijk worden. De Inspectie overweegt thans de inzet van tuchtrecht.

Vraag 4 Wat is uw visie op de stelling van deze artsen dat juridisch «off-label» gebruik in dit geval is toegestaan?

Off-label gebruik is een soms onmisbare mogelijkheid voor een behandelaar bij patiëntenzorg. Volgens art. 68 van de Geneesmiddelenwet is voorschrijven buiten de geregistreerde indicatie alleen onder voorwaarden geoorloofd. Het is geoorloofd als daarover binnen de beroepsgroep protocollen en standaarden zijn ontwikkeld. Als protocollen en standaarden nog in ontwikkeling zijn, is overleg tussen de behandelend arts en apotheker noodzakelijk. In het geval van HCG als afslankmiddel is hiervan geen sprake. Aanbieders kunnen zich dus niet beroepen op deze uitzonderingen. HCG is expliciet niet geregistreerd als middel bij afslanken en met de huidige kennis is geen rechtvaardiging denkbaar voor gebruik van HCG om af te vallen. In de officiële registratieteksten voor Pregnyl wordt gebruik om af te vallen zelfs uitgesloten.

Vraag 8 Bij hoeveel artsen en instituten is, naar inzicht van de IGZ, de praktijk van het verstrekken van HCG-slankheidskuren en/of het adverteren daarmee gestopt na hun brief van 6 december 2010?

Op basis van de meldingen en eigen onderzoek had de Inspectie in december 2010 zicht op 24 aanbieders van HCG afslankkuren. In negen gevallen is de reclame na de waarschuwing verwijderd of is de website uit de lucht gehaald. In twee gevallen bleek na onderzoek dat geen HCG als afslankkuur wordt aangeboden, maar een voedingssupplement waaraan dezelfde eigenschappen worden toegeschreven. Dit product bevat geen HCG hormoon. Bij zes aanbieders is overtreding vastgesteld, waarvoor de inspectie nu bestuurlijke boetes voorbereidt. De overige zeven zijn nog in onderzoek.

Vraag 9 Kunt u opheldering verschaffen over de omstandigheden die ertoe geleid hebben dat deze personen en instituten nog steeds HCG-kuren openlijk op internet aanbieden, niet tegenstaande het feit dat IGZ over genoemde machtsmiddelen beschikt?

Met het oog op de zorgvuldigheid duurt het enige tijd voordat een boete ook daadwerkelijk wordt opgelegd. Bij recidive kan de Inspectie een tweede hogere boete opleggen.

Vraag 10 Deelt u de mening dat het ongewenst is dat ten eerste overheidsinstanties strenge maatregelen aankondigen en die vervolgens niet uitvoeren en dat ten tweede dat burgers zo openlijk de aanwijzingen kunnen negeren van instanties die belast zijn met handhaving van de wet?

De maatregelen zijn in uitvoering.

Bijlage bij Kamerstukken II 2010/11, 29 477, nr. 169 (Leidraad Informatie UR Geneesmiddelen)

Veel is er te zeggen over het verschil tussen reclame en informatie inzake UR Geneesmiddelen. Zo is er laatst een congres rond georganiseerd door de VvRr en VFenR (verslag RB 992) en zijn er de Gedragscode Geneesmiddelenreclame en de Geneesmiddelenwet en buigen zowel de RCC als de CGR over kwestie. Met deze Leidraad verzoekt CGR verduidelijking te krijgen wat getolereerd wordt als "informatie" over UR-Geneesmiddelen. [klik plaatje voor vergroting]

Alhoewel de Gedragscode Geneesmiddelenreclame betrekking heeft op reclame en niet op informatie, heeft de CGR gemerkt dat behoefte is aan een uitgebreider Leidraad ten aanzien van informatie over ziekte, ziektebeelden en behandelingen waarbij direct of indirect wordt verwezen naar UR-geneesmiddelen en informatie van algemene en technische aard die relevant is voor het gebruik van een UR-geneesmiddel zonder dat hieraan een specifiek verzoek is voorafgegaan.

De “Nadere invulling van het onderscheid tussen reclame en informatie voor geneesmiddelen” blijft nog wel relevant als hulpmiddel om vast te stellen of sprake is van reclame of informatie. Wel vervalt de paragraaf over “eisen aan informatie”, de artikelen 4 t/m 6 en de toelichting daarop. Deze eisen zijn uitgewerkt in deze Leidraad. Uit de artikelen 1 t/m 3 van deze Nadere invulling blijkt dat het niet eenvoudig is om een exacte grens te trekken tussen informatie en reclame. In de Begripsbepalingen bij de Gedragscode Geneesmiddelenreclame wordt reclame gedefinieerd als “iedere aanprijzing van geneesmiddelen en daarmee samenhangende diensten of denkbeelden, daaronder (…).”

Doorslaggevend voor het onderscheid tussen reclame en informatie is het aanprijzende karakter van (elementen van) een uiting. De vraag of een uiting als informatie dan wel als reclame moet worden beschouwd moet van geval tot geval worden beoordeeld. Is de uiting promotioneel, dan zijn de reclameregels van toepassing. Is de uiting informatief van aard, dan is de Leidraad van toepassing.

Ook de Advertising Standards Authorization, de RCC in Groot-Britannië, heeft een bundel uitspraken gepubliceerd. Categorieën van 15 juni variëren van Circulation Booster, zwangerschapstesten, water ionizer, minibus, Peugeot, verrekijkers, James Bond magazine, film, technische winkel, batterijen, hair extensions, logo, website voor auto's, rij-examen, rijschool, apparaat voor infrarood therapie, vliegmaatschappij.

Categorieën van 8 juni variëren van Groupon, homeopatisch product, inboedelverzekering, Revival Fellowship, bulk SMS service, keuken en badkamer bedrijf, vacature website, modellenbureau, wedstrijd in automagazine, film en TV extra's, CVketel installatiebedrijf, vacatures, karateschool, Money manager, douchebak, steunband voor knie.

Categorieën van 1 juni variëren van elektronische apparaat voor gezondheid, voedingssupplement met magnesium, medium, huizenmarketing, sauzen, touroperator, filmrelease, Carpetright, tuinarchitectuur, levensverzekering, krant, bloedzuiverend middel, online adresboeksysteem.

Zie plaatjes hieronder (klik voor vergroting), klik voor de directe site hier.

High Tech Health Ltd
A leaflet and a teleshopping ad made claims for a “circulation booster”. a. The leaflet stated, “Immediate relief from aches, pains and swelling! Poor circulation? Swollen feet & ankles? Cold feet & aching tired legs? You need the all new Circulation Booster V3”. It went in to some detail about the action and effects of the product, claiming that it “applies mild electrical muscle simulation” to the feet, that it “can reduce foot and ankle swelling … With regular use of the Circulation...

Home Health (UK) Ltd
A commercial ad on Ebay in April 2011, for pregnancy tests, stated "10 ULTRA EARLY 10mIU NHS PREGNANCY TTC TEST/TESTS".

Earth Trade Water Inc
An e-mail, sent 30 March 2011, to approximately 200 recipients, promoted water ionizers. All the recipients' e-mail addresses were visible in the “To” field. Text in the body of the e-mail stated “The colon has received increased attention in recent years as colon cancer has risen rapidly to become the third leading cause of death in the US. Poor diet, lack of exercise, and dehydration are factors that are often cited to lead to poor colon health. Poor colon health is considered a primary...

GM Coachwork Ltd
Claims on the home page of MiniBus Lite's website stated "MiniBus Lite is the only 17 seater minibus you can drive on a standard manual car licence. The GM Coachwork Minibus Lite is the UK's first 17 seater minibus (including driver) weighing less than 3.5 tonnes. The vehicle's low weight means that anyone with a current, valid UK full driving licence which they have held for over 2 years can drive it. This means that organisations such as schools can allow more of their staff to drive the...

Peugeot Motor Company plc
A TV ad, for Peugeot's 207 Envy, viewed on the children's channel Nick Jr on 5 March 2011 at 2:15pm during Peppa Pig, was shot from underwater in a dark swimming pool at night. A car was seen from below hitting the water and slowly sinking. Muted, bass music was heard in the background together with the sound of air bubbles escaping from the car to the surface and water rushing through the air vents. Two men were heard discussing the car over the telephone. The first said "Have you seen it?"...

Winning Deals Ltd
A national press ad, for binoculars, on 10 March 2011, stated "NATL. AIR & SPACE DEPOT SALE. NOTICE! Long range 24x Magnification. SEA & FIELD ZOOM BINOCULARS (all in original shipping cases). So powerful that if you were on the cliffs of Dover the coast of France would appear to be just ONE MILE AWAY!!!! ... Starting midnight 9th March, the National Air & Space Depot will accept orders direct from the public for 8-24x MAGNIFICATION SEA & FIELD ZOOM BINOCULARS ... TEST CERTIFICATE:...

MI6 Confidential
Claims on MI6 Confidential magazine's website, viewed on 16 March 2011, for a James Bond magazine, included "MI6 Confidential is the only professionally created James Bond magazine available exclusively in print".

Paramount Pictures UK
A TV ad for the film "No Strings Attached" broadcast on More4 between 13.30 and 14.30 on 11 February 2011, during the programme Deal or No Deal. The female character said "I need someone who's going to be in my bed, no strings attached" and the male character replied "I could do that". Two brief scenes showed the couple in bed together before on-screen text read "CAN BEST FRIENDS ... BE SEX FRIENDS?".

Comet Group plc
A brochure, for a technology retailer, was headed “Online prices in store now. Please ask in store for details”. Each double-page spread was also headed “Online prices in store now. Please ask in store for details” and “Prices checked daily”. The bottom of each page stated: “Prices and offers correct at time of going to press. Prices and offers may vary. Ask in-store for details. Offers valid from 17 February 2011”. Text at the top of page 22 stated: “Save £150. £89.99 was £239.99 Panasonic...

Batteries-Trade.co.uk
Claims on a website selling batteries, on 29 March 2011, stated "Customer Service ... 145-147 St John Street EC1V 4PY London (Please note that this is our warehouse address. No local pick up is available)".

Belle Hair Extensions
An ad on the Belle Hair Extensions website, seen 3 March 2011, promoted “1 Day Intense Hair Training £395. Text stated “On your Belle Hair Extension Fast Track Training Course you will be taught by qualified tutors these application methods (Micro fusion bonding, Micro Ring/Links) for just one price. You will get a professional hair extension kit and manual, professional insurance approved certification so you can start working immediately and certified professional training”. The website...

25poundlogo
A sales promotion on 25poundlogo website stated "One-time Special Offer Must End Midnight, Sat Mar 19 2011. Celebrating Our 500th customer! With every package you get ... FREE: Copyright Legal Certificate worth £50. FREE: Life-time alterations to your logo worth £50. OFFER OPEN NOW!".

All Vehicle Contracts Ltd
Claims on Autobuddy's website, viewed between 30 March and 3 April 2011, included "The Home of INSTANT Online Quotations". The website's home page included a "Quick Quotation Search" where consumers could choose from drop-down lists of a range of car manufacturers, models, "versions" and contract types, and a "Vehicle Shopper with Company Car Tax Calculations" where consumers could choose from drop-down lists of contract types, car manufacturers, CO2 emission levels and select a monthly cost...

Book A DSA Test
A website, for Book A DSA Test, on 13 March 2011, stated "Book a DSA Test. The quick and easy way to book your practical or theory driving test online ... You can now book your DSA Practical and Theory test FAST and SIMPLY online. We are here to provide you with the smart way to book and manage your DSA Practical Driving Test or your DSA Theory Driving Test online with as little fuss for you as possible. Booking your test couldn't be simpler now, just complete the online form for the test you...

Bradleys School of Motoring
Claims on a website for a driving school, in March 2011, stated "Find a driving instructor in Sunderland, Hartlepool & Durham with a higher pass rate than ours and we will give you your lesson for free!".

best-deal.com
A sponsored link on an internet search engine, for infra-red therapy devices, stated "Get Thermotex Online Thermotex -48%:Shop a large selection & find incredible deals! www.thermotex.deal24.co.uk".

bmibaby Ltd
A promotional e-mail, for flights, was sent in January 2011. It was headlined “Massive discounts, baby!”. Text below stated “Quick! It’s your last chance to book BIG savings on all flights for 2011. Don’t delay and check out the flights on offer”.

MyCityDeal Ltd
A sales promotion from Groupon, stated "Lengthen Those Lashes with Eyelash Extensions from Bo Chic for £24 instead of £90". Text under the heading "Fine Print" included"This Group is valid for 5 on 1 bud eyelash extensions only ....".

Nathans Natural LLC
The website for Levodyn, a herbal product, on 9 February 2011, stated “Levodyn is composed of 19 herbs and minerals that have been shown to help lower blood pressure and thus lead to a healthy heart. We have used only natural ingredients, so you never have to worry about the troublesome side effects of prescription medication ... can help naturally lower your blood pressure and help prevent cardiovascular problems ... Levodyn is a breakthrough non prescription high blood pressure reducing...

Lloyds TSB General Insurance Ltd
A TV ad, broadcast in October 2010, for home insurance showed a cartoon man coming home to find that he had been burgled. The ad showed him picking up a letter from Lloyds TSB titled "Personal Claims Consultant" and the man was subsequently visited by a Personal Claims Consultant. A voice-over said "At Lloyds TSB, we understand how upsetting it can be when things go wrong, which is why we'll send you a personal claims consultant to help you when you need it most. So the same person will...

Medway Revival Fellowship
A circular for the Revival Fellowship was headlined "YOUR INVITATION TO COME AND SEE". Text on the back of the circular included "After prayer, Russell was healed from a severe food allergy and Autism. He now leads a healthy and completely normal life", "In 1984, Granville suffered another brain haemorrhage and died 3 times. After prayer, he came alive. He still lives today", "Trevor & Leila were told that their newborn girl was 'incompatible with life'...

Text Marketer Ltd
Claims on a website, CompareBulkSMSPrices, on 11 April 2011, stated "The latest up to date prices for Bulk SMS - checked 6 days ago ... With hundreds of Bulk SMS suppliers around the world, our mission is to stay up to date with the cheapest and best deals, the best technology and customer service tools". Underneath, a table headed "The Main Price Comparison Chart" included a list of companies and details of their bulk SMS services. The company listed as "The Current Number 1" was Text...

The Kitchen and Bathroom Company
A regional press ad for The Kitchen and Bathroom Company stated "Create your Dream Home, Free Fitting*" and "Free Fitting RRP £2499 Range Pack inc: Cooker, Splash Back & Chimney £399* With purchase of a kitchen". The asterisk linked to text that stated "Not in conjunction with any other offer".

Powerhouse Direct Ltd
Text on a job search website, for a Junior Trainee in Marketing/Sales/PR/Customer Service, stated information about the role including "salary: £15,000 per year" and "job term: Permanent/Full-time".

Talent Search UK
An ad in the regional press (a) and a follow-up leaflet (b) for Talent Search UK stated: a. "MODELS & EXTRAS DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE NECESSARY QUALITIES TO BE A MODEL OR EXTRA?CATALOGUE, PHOTOGRAPHIC & FILM/T.V. EXTRA WORK, FASHION & PROMOTIONAL WORK ... ARRIVE EARLY TO AVOID DISSAPOINTMENT [SIC]. LIMITED SPACES". Text at the bottom of the ad stated "Placement with UK agencies". b. "Some TV Credits/Modelling Assignments our Agencies have are as...

Creative Media Ltd
A competition in a car magazine, in February 2010, to win £10,000 worth of car accessories was headlined "WIN A £10,000 MAKEOVER!" Text below stated "FORGET TRINNY, SUSANNAH AND THAT Gok fella, when it comes to full on budget busting makeovers we've got a competition that'll blow your socks off ... it's not very often we get to offer a full-on motor makeover but that generous lot over at the Auto Sound & Style Show, to celebrate their awesome event kicking off on the 7th of...

ELI Casting Agency
Text on the Gumtree website, for film and TV extras, stated "BECOME A WELL PAID FILM and TV EXTRA OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE! MEET and WORK WITH TOP CELEBRITIES! EARN £80 - £300 PER SHOOT... TO APPLY: E-MAIL US YOUR: NAME and E-MAIL ADDRESS ONLY TO: office@elicasting.co.uk ANYTIME! 24/7 We will get back to you as quickly as possible. Please bare [sic.] with us as we are very busy!".

A1 Services
An ad in Yellow Pages on 19 January 2011, for A1 Services, a boiler installation firm, listed the names of six different locations in Hertfordshire followed by a telephone number for each location. The ad also featured the logos for Corgi and Oftec alongside the text "Registered Installers".

AC Generations Ltd
Four online ads by AC Generations seen in February 2011 for job vacancies stated in each case that the job type was "permanent" and that the vacancies were for the following roles: "Brand Management and Marketing"; "Customer Service Property Surveying"; "Customer service/sale advisors"; and "Hospitality & Catering". All of the ads included an example of the weekly wage, e.g. "Salary: Up to £500/week" and "Salary: £300 - £500...

Karate Leadership UK
Claims on Karate Leadership UK's website, viewed in March 2011, included "WHICH MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL IS BEST FOR ME AND / OR MY FAMILY ??? ... If they charge for your Martial Arts on a 'Per Session' basis you're in the wrong school. This can mean only one of two things, firstly they aren't intending on being around for long or secondly this is just a 'hobby' for them. Remember we are talking about introducing an adult into your child's life that can potentially have a massive effect on their...

Lloyds TSB Bank plc
A TV ad, for Lloyds TSB’s Money Manager service, viewed on 8 March 2011, stated "With all our bills, direct debits and purchases, it's sometimes hard to keep track of our money. Money Manager from Lloyds TSB is a new, free way to show you how much you're spending and on what. It helps you keep control of your spending so you can see where you can save a little here and there. Lloyds TSB, for the journey". On-screen text displayed during the ad stated "Money Manager is not intended to provide...

First Bathrooms
A website for bathrooms showed an image of a shower tray. Text stated "Easy Plumb Rectangle Shower Tray 900 x 800mm ... The original, classically designed shower tray, featuring a high-gloss surface which feels exactly like ceramic to the touch. This tray is made from a stone resin mix for strength and rigidity, eliminating the movement so often found with plastic composite trays".

Home Shopping Selections Ltd
A press ad, promoting a thin strap worn below the knee, was headlined “IMMEDIATE KNEE PAIN RELIEF”. The product was pictured and text stated “We asked an independent research company to test our Knee Strap. The results were fantastic and now the benefits of the Knee Strap speak for themselves - as ordinary, every day, [sic] people confirm what we already knew! The Knee Strap works! The independent research company asked a panel of men and women, who suffer from knee pain to try our Knee... 

Telehealth Solutions Ltd
An e-mail on 14 March 2011, from Telehealth Solutions, stated "Keep Long-Term Condition Patients Safer, Healthier and Out of Hospital - Help Patients and Reduce Costs - The HomePod is an iPad-like device that patients can use to measure vital signs, answer questions about their symptoms, and send the information to clinical staff ... Evidence and Research - Studies estimate telehealth can reduce hospital admissions by over 90%, and the length of hospital stays by the same proportion...

Subtle Energy Therapy UK
A website, selling Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS) and magnesium products, on 1 March 2011, stated "... The proof of the efficacy of this simple protocol was in successfully helping over 75,000 people in several African nations - including Uganda and Malawi - rid themselves, primarily of malaria, but also hepatitis, cancer, and AIDS ... If your health is not perfect ... you're habitually low on energy, have trouble keeping your weight down, or blood pressure in the normal range, or...

Mr Fakole
A circular, for Mr Fakole, stated "Mr Fakole Serious African international medium 20 years of experience in Haiti 100% successful ... Results are sure, serious and guaranteed ...".

upad Ltd
Text on www.upad.com stated "RENTAL PROPERTY MARKETING Advertise your property on 950 UK sites for £69 ... We'll put your property on ... rightmove.co.uk, FindaProperty.com, Zoopla, Globrix, lettingsearch.co.uk, primelocation.com, Gumtree & 950 more including ...". When readers clicked on "including" they were taken to a page that listed 998 different websites.

Unilever UK Ltd
Two ads, for gravy granules, in catering magazines: a. The first ad featured a picture of a tub of gravy granules above a headline which stated "unbeatable taste vs. Bisto*". Smaller text below the headline stated "KNORR has unbeatable scores for taste, appearance, consistency and aroma when testing against main competitors*". Smallprint at the bottom of the ad stated "*Partner Research Jan-April 2010". b. The second ad featured a picture of a sachet of gravy granules above headline text...

Thomas Cook Tour Operations Ltd
A national press ad, on 7 January 2011, for a holiday promotion had the headline "it is Summer 2011 10% off guaranteed". Text below stated "10% off all our Summer 2011 holidays. Guaranteed. Find the same holiday as ours cheaper elsewhere and we'll match the price. If we can't match the price, we'll give you the holiday free. Guaranteed". Text at the bottom-right of the ad next to the Thomas Cook logo stated "thomascook.com". Small print at the bottom of the ad stated "The 10% discount offer...

Lions Gate UK Ltd
Two TV ads for the release of the film The Mechanic, featuring the actors Jason Statham and Ben Foster: a. The first ad began with Jason Statham saying "Do you know what a mechanic is?" and showed him punching a man in the stomach, who was wearing a blood-stained T-shirt, and then running and shooting a gun at the camera. Ben Foster replied "A hitman". Scenes from the film were then shown in quick succession including a man being hit over the head with a sheet of metal and a man being shot...

Carpetright plc
A TV ad for Carpetright plc showed the presenter demonstrating how easy it was to clean a Kosset carpet before saying "and it's exclusive to Carpetright".

Aspen Landscaping Driveways
A regional press ad, on 1 February 2011, for landscaping and driveway work, stated "ASPEN LANDSCAPING & DRIVEWAYS - NORTH STAFFS NO.1 *Block Paving Specialists *Natural Stone Patios *Garden Walls & Other Aspects *Winter Discounts - Recommendations from most leading Builders Merchants ... All work Guaranteed. Call now for free quotation".

Asda Financial Services Ltd
A TV ad for life assurance, from Asda, broadcast on 28 February, for people aged over 50 featured a man arriving home with his shopping. The man said "I'd been meaning to get some life cover but I wasn't sure where to go." At the same time, on-screen text stated "For people aged 50 - 80 living in the UK". The man continued "Then I saw that Asda were offering over 50s life cover ... So I gave them a call. I didn't have to answer any health questions; I didn't have to visit my GP. I just had...

Independent News Media Ltd
A TV ad, for a newspaper, stated “i squeezes the content of a quality paper into one that's small and beautifully informed. So I've got the knowledge, in one quick fix. No celeb gossip nonsense, just intelligent stuff and that's why I love i.

Fitalifestyle Ltd
An ad for Liquid Chlorophyll, in the online shop of the See My Cells website, seen 16 March 2011, stated “Liquid Chlorophyll is the most potent blood cleanser and deodorizer. Liquid Chlorophyll has the identical chemical structure to haemoglobin in blood. The only difference being the central atom in blood being iron and Chlorophyll's central atom being magnesium. Chlorophyll is made by the process of photosynthesis and is essential to life. Chlorophyll in liquid form is essential for...

Customer Service Helplines (UK) Ltd
A sponsored link, for an online directory service, stated “Tax Credits Helpline Speak To An HMRC Advisor By Phone Numbers for Customer Services”.