THE BBC has refused to take down a controversial Dragons’ Den episode on iPlayer promoting a product to help ME sufferers.
In the episode, Giselle Boxer, 31, pitched her firm Acu Seeds, which she said aided her recovery from the condition.
She added: “I was told by doctors that I would never recover, work again or have children.
But charity Action for ME complained it was advertised as a cure.
After a review, the BBC issued a clarification that reads: “Acu Seeds are not intended as a cure for any medical condition and advice should always be sought about health concerns.”
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Her pitch to the Dragons produced a historic moment for the show as all six put in an offer for her business, which is described as a “DIY needle-free ear acupuncture for anxiety, migraines, hormonal issues, insomnia, weight loss and more”.
ME sufferers experience extreme tiredness.
There is no cure, but there are treatments to manage it.
Sheffield-based Giselle’s pitch received an offer from all six Dragons, with tech entrepreneur Steven Bartlett being picked to invest.
The BBC defended the inclusion of the wellness business describing Dragons’ Den as an “entertainment programme which features products created by entrepreneurs but is not an endorsement of them”.
It also said her “personal healing journey” had been a combination of treatments and that “ear seeds were never described as a cure for ME”.
It said it had added the clarification on iPlayer and in the episode following the concerns raised.
