Earseeds, Acuseeds

Oh boy, looks like it's the year of ear treatment for pwM.E! New name same person?

'28 years of relapsing-remitting incurable condition #ME Have been wearing this since 9am and can’t begin to tell you the difference it has made'.

 
Hard to see how this doesn't quickly get slapped down by the advertising authority, especially claiming it for a number of conditions.

Then again all she has to do is get some MDs to join in on it and get an EBM paper published about it and it all works itself out. The grift has been perfected, and it's not as if this is any different from the usual BPS stuff.
 
Dragons Den is all about people who have made a lot of money in business and investment using some of that money to support new businesses to expand, and thereby making themselves shedloads more money. If this woman is selling bits of plastic with a multiple of ten mark up in price, of course they will all go for it. There's no ethics involved for most of them, it's all about money.
 
We have Dragons Den here in Canada too and Shark Tank in the U.S. I've seen a few Sharks and Dragons question entrepreneurs on ethical issues and whether they're selling snake oil regarding medical claims, most don't jump on board.

Seed ear lady should meet "Mr. Wonderful" some time.
 
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Why Dragon's Den's latest episode was so damaging

While Dragon's Den viewers were still buzzing over the addition of newest honorary dragon Gary Neville, social media was also discussing the devastating impact Thursday night's show had on the disability community.

ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) is a debilitating chronic illness which causes life-changing fatigue, muscle and joint pain, brain fog and headaches to name but a few symptoms.

When a young entrepreneur popped up on Dragon's Den and claimed that a "personal healing journey" that included ear seeds had aided her recovery from ME within 12 months, most of us living with the condition rolled our eyes, as there's famously no scientific cure for the condition.

https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a46456849/dragons-den-ear-seeds/
 
She didn't create the concept of ear seeds - they've been used in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine for forever. So that adds yet another layer to her scamming and grifting!
1) the fake sob story
2) the fake healing claims
3) the misappropriation of TCM practices
4) the outrageous profiteering

I know we're mostly, as a ME/CFS community angry about 2 with a serving of 1 as well, and that is what most of the social media noise and complaints will focus on, but we can really hit her where it hurts by thinking about 3 and 4 as well....

Let's face it, there are still going to be a lot of people who will try these because they're a lot cheaper than pretty much every other option and people are desperate. Not just ME/CFS people, but all the other things she touches upon on her website - weight loss, anxiety, PTSD etc. All things that people get desperate for any help with.

We can let people know that if they do want to try these then a) try an actual TCM specialist first and / or b) order the exact same product she's selling at a 1000sx mark up on eBay, Amazon, Temu etc (a simple search on Google or any of these sites gives you loads of results of sets of 600 seeds for £5 and similar!).
If we can stop the boost she's getting by pointing people who do want to try it via replies and comments to the exact same but significantly cheaper versions of the product that'll soon stop her in her tracks.

According to that Mail article she made profit of £64k in her first year AND took a decent salary (£30k+)! That just illustrates the total grift she's on that she's made that much profit in year 1 from a very low base. She's had to spend nothing on product development because she's just stolen it from TCM!
 
So Giselle, if you're reading this, I mean you no harm, we mean you no harm, you are safe here even though what we say may be rather robust in its critique of your ideas & behaviour. We're frustrated & even angry with some of what you've done & said, but i recognise you may, mean well. And also recognise there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to build a business & make money, as long as its not hurting/exploiting people. This is not a hate thread.

However, you are doing harm, despite your possible good intentions along with your desire to build a business, its harmful.
 
I've watched the section of the programme now. I've seen Dragon's Den before, although not for many years. The panel used to interrogate those pitching.They would have asked "does your product work", "what's your evidence for your claims", "who is it aimed at & would that market buy it", "what's unique about your product or service", "have you a patent for it", "can I buy this cheaper elsewhere", "why would consumers buy from you rather than your competitors"? This pitch would fail on most of these points, nevermind the ethical side. I expect there are companies designing the packaging to sell these "ear seeds" for £5.99 at this moment. They asked Giselle Boxer no hard questions. They seemed transfixed by two things - that she had got away with the massive mark-up & by her "journey", which harms us so much.

Unfortunately it's having real world cut through. So sorry @Andy. Lots of people on the receiving end of this nonsense already and a GP on Twitter had two patients asking her to prescribe "ear seeds".
 
Andy said:
Sigh, a well-meaning relative has sent me a link to the BBC News article about this, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-68028447

Now I have to find the right words to gently explain why, despite appreciating their intentions for sending this to me, I think the subject of the article is horseshit.
Click to expand...

This seems a good article to share in response.

Why Dragon's Den's latest episode was so damaging


It's caused backlash among the chronic illness community.

By Hollie-Anne BrooksPUBLISHED: 19 JANUARY 2024


https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reali...uqQe2R0xmORi-3Xw7I-uscEhbKl4hQUAsrzd9H8uRa7UU
 
From 2019

If you’re scrolling through Instagram while waiting in line at the grocery store, you might have stumbled upon ear seeds. The photos show close-ups of ears dotted with tiny piercings assembled like constellations. It may look like the latest fashion statement—and for some, it is—but there is often more to it than meets the eye. Some people believe that these microdermal piercings have healing properties. As the old real estate mantra goes, it’s all about “location, location, location.”

I don’t want to dismiss the temporary empowerment we can feel by doing something, anything, to address illness. But ear seeds, the new kids on the acupuncture block, are little more than a security blanket for the Instagram generation.

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/pseudoscience/bad-science-lends-friendly-ear-ear-seeds
 
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