Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

UK advertising watchdog says a leading homeopathic charity 'breached marketing rules'

UK advertising watchdog says a leading homeopathic charity 'breached marketing rules'

THE advertising watchdog in UK has said that a leading homeopathic charity breached marketing rules.

The Advertising Standards Authority has ordered Homeopathy UK that it cannot refer to conditions such as depression, diabetes and infertility on its website, reported The Times.


Homeopathy UK breached marketing rules by potentially discouraging 'essential treatment for conditions for which medical supervision should be sought', the watchdog ruled on Wednesday (19).

Disappointed by the ruling, the charity said that it treated people who wished to use alternative or complementary medicine as 'incapable of making informed choices'.

Homeopathy UK, formerly the British Homeopathic Association, hosts a 'conditions directory' on its website with 'a list of conditions where homeopathy can help'.

Each condition had a clickthrough link to an article written by a doctor registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) who had applied homeopathic methods, the newspaper report said.

"Although the articles had been written by GMC-registered professionals, the ad and the articles to which it linked referred to homeopathy in general, rather than treatment by a specific individual,"  the ruling said.

The watchdog said that it understood that there were no minimum professional qualifications required to practise homeopathy.

“As a charity committed to patient choice, we are concerned about the damaging effect a ruling like this could have on the entire complementary and alternative health sector," Homeopathy UK chief executive Cristal Skaling-Klopstock, told The Times.

An ASA spokesman has said that it’s really important that advertisers don’t make claims without evidence, and that’s especially true for medical products.

More For You

Saad Qureshi’s 'Tower of Now' sculpture celebrates Bradford’s shared histories

Saad Qureshi

Saad Qureshi’s 'Tower of Now' sculpture celebrates Bradford’s shared histories

A NEW public artwork reflecting Bradford’s history and cultural communities will be unveiled in the city this week.

Titled Tower of Now, the 15-metre sculpture by artist Saad Qureshi will be opened on April 26 at Hall Ings as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.

Keep ReadingShow less
kashmir attack

Indian security forces personnel escort an ambulance carrying the bodies of tourists who were killed in the attack near Pahalgam, outside the police control room in Srinagar.

Reuters

India hunts gunmen as world condemns deadly Kashmir attack

INDIAN security forces launched a major search operation on Wednesday, a day after gunmen opened fire on tourists in Kashmir, killing 26 people. The attack was the deadliest on civilians in the region since 2000.

Prime minister Narendra Modi, who returned early from a state visit to Saudi Arabia, condemned the attack and said the attackers “will be brought to justice.”

Keep ReadingShow less
pope-francis-funeral-getty

Cardinals pay their respects as the body of Pope Francis lies in state at the Basilica St Peter on April 23, 2025 in Vatican City.

Getty Images

Pope Francis’s body lies in state ahead of Saturday funeral

POPE FRANCIS's coffin was moved to St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday as he began lying in state, with thousands of people arriving to pay their respects ahead of Saturday’s funeral.

Crowds gathered in St Peter’s Square from early morning to see the Argentine pope, who died on Monday aged 88. Public viewing inside the basilica began at 11:00 am (0900 GMT).

Keep ReadingShow less
UK Tourism Growth Hit by Government Policies, Says Travel Body

UK remained one of the world’s most‑visited countries

Getty

Travel body blames government for harming UK tourism growth

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has accused the UK government of “sabotaging” the country’s tourism sector after international visitor spending fell by over £2 billion in 2024 compared with pre‑pandemic levels. In a new WTTC study, visitors to the UK spent £40.3 billion last year—a 5.3 per cent decline on the £42.6 billion recorded in 2019.

The WTTC, which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, said ministers had made “deliberate policy choices” that erected “barriers to travel” and discouraged high‑value tourists. Policies cited include the removal of tax‑free shopping, rising air passenger duty (APD) rates and the introduction—and subsequent fee increase—of the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme for non‑UK nationals.

Keep ReadingShow less
pope-francis-getty

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he became the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to hold the office. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Key moments in the life of Pope Francis

POPE FRANCIS, who has died at the age of 88, led the Catholic Church through a period of reform, challenge, and global engagement.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he became the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to hold the office.

Keep ReadingShow less