Codral ads withdrawn

JOHNSON & Johnson Pacific has been ordered to not use the terms “flu” or “influenza” in an online advertisement for its Codral Cold & Flu products, after an anonymous complaint suggested the reference might encourage consumers to “self-diagnose and self-treat a serious ailment instead of seeing a doctor”.

The ruling was made in late Sep by the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Complaints Resolution Panel, with the outcome made public this week.

The offending advertisement showed a pack shot along with a symptom guide which aimed to help consumers tell the difference between “a cold” and “flu”.

J&J said it strongly believed the complaint to be “vexations and mischievous,” putting together a detailed argument urging that the complaint be treated as withdrawn.

The company asserted that “flu” was not a restricted representation, however the Committee found that previous advertisements had combined “cold and flu” together in contrast to this ad which clearly differentiated the conditions.

The Panel was satisfied that the words “flu” and “influenza” in the ad potentially referred to serious forms of the disease.

The advertisement also did not direct consumers to seek medical advice if they experience a high fever associated with flu.

The Panel told J&J to withdraw the advertisement and any representations found to have breached the Code including the terms “a flu”, “flu” and “influenza”.