Bupa ad banned for implying private care is better for surviving cancer
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Version 0 of 1. An ad for Bupa has been banned for implying that cancer patients who receive private healthcare have a higher chance of survival. Bupa’s TV ad featured a voiceover stating: “Growing up my family always had Bupa health insurance. It probably saved my life. “At 27, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Straight away a specialist Bupa team were there for me. They found a hospital to be near mum and dad. The consultant suggested tomotherapy, an advanced treatment. “That was seven years ago and Bupa’s still here for me today.” Throughout the ad were onscreen captions that said “Specialist support teams; access to latest proven drugs and treatments; supporting you through your treatment.” The Advertising Standards Authority received 25 complaints that the ad was misleading because it implied there was a higher chance of survival for cancer patients who received private healthcare. Bupa denied the claims, saying the ad was based on a customer’s personal experience of Bupa’s care, including advice and flexible options on diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment support. It added that it offered a range of clinically proven cancer drugs that were not provided as standard treatment on the NHS or by every private healthcare provider, as well as tomotherapy, an advanced treatment that at the time of the customer’s treatment had only been available at one hospital. Bupa said the ad did not draw any direct comparisons with the NHS or other private medical providers, and did not seek to state that its services were unique. Clearcast, which pre-approves TV ads on behalf of advertisers, had given the green light to the campaign. It said it had received a signed testimonial from the customer involved, adding that the ad did not exaggerate the effectiveness of Bupa’s services, since it did not address the likelihood of success or the rate of recovery for its cancer patients. The ASA said that the ad was based on one customer’s experience and did not explicitly state that Bupa’s patients had a higher chance of surviving cancer or directly compare the likelihood of success of treatment services with other private hospitals or the NHS. However, it said the claim “It probably saved my life” was very prominent alongside the ad’s references to the benefits of Bupa’s services. The watchdog ruled that the ad suggested that Bupa’s services for cancer patients were superior to those offered by the NHS or other providers, and that cancer patients who received private healthcare consequentially had a better chance of survival. It therefore banned the ad. |