Beware of Small Print Disclaimers, Testimonials and The Placebo Effect, Amongst Others!!
The other day I saw a TV commercial for an over the counter oral supplement that is supposed to “improve your memory.” The claim was that this product (which shall remain unnamed for now) was supposed to make people less forgetful and improve their memory. The target market is usually older adults, which obviously would be the group of people most likely to be interested in something like this. And at the end of this commercial, there was a disclaimer in very small print which was flashed on the screen for about a second and a half. Now how am I supposed to read that? Which probably is the point….nobody can read it. Here is an enlarged photo of the label below:
Example of Small Print Disclaimer
The statement reads “*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”
One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to healthcare, is a lack of transparency or truthfulness. I have always thought healthcare product messaging, should be clear, easy to understand and easy to read. If the print is too small, then that is an attempt at concealment. If a statement is ambiguous or there is an attempt to hope the viewer does not notice required labeling….then that is a big fail in my book!
I have developed a checklist of Red Flags to watch out for. If you see one or more of these, I would think twice before buying the product.
1. Small Print Labeling - I think we have already covered this one. If the print is too small, ambiguous, not credible, etc., then think twice before purchasing. In the label screenshot above, I actually took a picture of the small print and enlarged it so I could read it. A good suggestion, is to pause the TV….take out your iPhone, Android device or whatever….snap a picture and enlarge it. This is especially good practice when watching car commercials that advertise a lease. The 36 months lease price looks great….until you find that small print and examine it, only to find that $4,999.00 is required to be put down in order to get that great monthly rate.
2. Testimonials - If the only proof that a drug supplement works, is through testimonials, then watch out! Be careful and err on the side of not buying. Any seller of a product can grab anyone off the street, and have them do a testimonial. “Come and buy this Snake Oil! I swear it instantly stops hair loss!” In my opinion, the majority of testimonial TV commercials are so tacky, that it makes me think the seller has no respect for the customer. I need much smarter evidence, such as FDA Approval before I take out my credit card. They can’t take your money unless you let them.
3. Conditional Promises - This is another one of my favorites. Products that use words like “improves,” “better,” or “increases” have unverifiable outcomes. If the seller has a product that simply does not work, he/she can fall back on what the promise was….”improves memory.” Now how are you really supposed to measure that? So your memory was really in the crapper before, and that’s why your “improvement” was so minimal?
4. “Guaranteed or Your Money Back!” - No brownie points for this one. Every product ever sold comes with a receipt. And if you have your receipt, you can in most cases return your purchase and get your money back. The receipt is basically the same thing as a guarantee.
5. “The Placebo Effect” - Most people who invest in a product, have already gone in with the hope, that there will be results. I remember when I was a kid, my mom bought me PF Flyers Sneakers. The PF Flyers Commercial said that those sneakers would make you run faster….and sure enough, I was believing that I was actually running faster!! Those same beliefs apply to any product that may have questionable or unproven results. A manufacturer advertises that your memory improves, so you begin to think your memory is better. It very possibly can be that it is the will of your mind that convinces you of the outcome. This is why I prefer products that have been tested and approved by agencies like the FDA.
If you see and like my post, you can tweet me and let me know which products or TV commercials you have seen, that make you think….”no way!”