Dragons’ Den entrepreneur who was the first to get 6 offers for device that ‘cured’ her ME is reported to advertising standards for ‘selling snake oil’ as doctors slam BBC show for ‘misleading desperate patients’

Entertainment

A glamorous entrepreneur who became the first person to receive six offers on Dragons’ Den has been accused of ‘selling snake oil’ and preying on the ‘most vulnerable and horribly ill people in society’.

Giselle Boxer, 31, from Sheffield, appeared on the BBC show last week and asked for £50,000 for a 10 per cent stake in her business, Acu Seeds.

The mother of one said she set up the business, which sells £30 gold plated ear seeds, while on maternity leave, after she used a similar product to ‘cure herself from ME’.

She received the offer for the full amount from five of the dragons but settled on a smaller offer – £50,000 for 12.5 per cent of the business – from Steven Bartlett, 31, because she is ‘spiritual’ and ‘was told she was going to meet an important man called Steven’.

But now various doctors and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) sufferers have hit out at the BBC and the business for promoting an alternative medicine with no scientific evidence it can help ME or fatigue.

Both Ms Boxer and Mr Bartlett have been contacted for comment.

Giselle Boxer, 31, from Sheffield, appeared on the BBC show this week and asked for £50,000 for a 10 per cent stake in her business, Acu Seeds

On the show, Deborah Meaden tried out the technique before making an offer

The ME association has reported Acu Seeds to the Advertising Standards Agency and written to the BBC and chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport committee and chairman of the health and social care committee.

‘People who have ME/CFS are often on very low incomes and in the absence of any effective medical treatment are very vulnerable to these sort of unsubstantiated therapeutic claims.

‘They are fed up with the way in which unproven and expensive treatments are regularly being promoted to them.

‘This programme has therefore caused a great deal of upset and anger in the ME/CFS [Chronic Fatigue Syndrome] patient community,’ the letter reads.

It adds that during Dragons’ Den none of the panel asked any questions about ‘validity Acu Seeds in ME/CFS and whether there was any scientific evidence of safety and efficacy for this product’.

Dr Charles Shepard, Hon Medical Advisor for The ME Association, said: ‘The way in which Dragons’ Den has been used to promote an unproven treatment for ME/CFS has, not surprisingly, caused a great deal of upset and concern in the ME patient community.

‘People with ME/CFS are fed up with the way in which products like this are regularly being promoted when there is no sound evidence from proper placebo-controlled clinical trials to confirm that they are safe and effective.

‘These sort of expensive commercial products and devices should not be promoted to very vulnerable sick people until they have been properly assessed for safety and efficacy in clinical trials – in exactly the same way that drug treatments are.’

The new business partners embraced before Giselle said working with Steven was a ‘complete dream come true’

Giselle often takes to Instagram to share how she was ‘cured’ from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

What is ME?

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a long-term condition that causes extreme fatigue, sleeping difficulties and brain fog.

It is thought to affect 250,000 Brits and around 17million worldwide.

Symptoms are linked to the body and brain’s inability to recover after expending even small amounts of energy.

Not everyone experiences the same symptoms and how long they last can vary from months to years.

Some find that they don’t go back completely to the way they felt before they became ill.

Anyone can be affected but it’s more common in women and tends to develop between the mid-20s and mid-40s.

There is not a specific test for ME, so it’s diagnosed based on symptoms and by ruling out other conditions.

Treatment aims to relieve the symptoms and includes therapy, energy management and medication.

The cause of ME is not known but it is thought to be triggered by an infection, problems with the immune system or a hormone imbalance.

ME sufferers have taken to social media to complain about the product and accused Giselle of selling ‘snake oil’

Giselle often posts on Instagram about her health journey, but it has since come into question

How do the ear seeds work?

Ear seeds can work as tiny acupressure devices to help with pain, insomnia and anxiety.

Acupuncturists traditionally use vaccaria seeds, which come from the flowering herb.

Users are usually encouraged to massage the seeds two or three times a day.

This type of auriculotherapy supposedly releases natural endorphins.

According to Acu Seeds, their ear seeds have been inspired by Chinese medicine.

The brand’s ear seeds – which are plated with gold or silver – have an adhesive sticker

The website reads: ‘Think of it like reflexology, but for the ears instead of feet.

‘They also create continual, gentle pressure on nerve impulses in the ear which send messages to the brain that certain organs or systems need support.

‘The brain will then send signals and chemicals to the rest of the body to support whatever ailments you’re experiencing, releasing endorphins into the bloodstream, relaxing the nervous system, and naturally soothing pain and discomfort.’

And he’s not the only doctor pushing back against the product.

Dr. Edzard Ernst, an MD and PhD who specialising in research around alternative medicines said there is ‘no good evidence’ to support any of her claims.

‘There is no sound evidence that these acupressure devices are effective for ME or other conditions.

‘To give severely suffering patients false hope is unethical; to take money from it is despicable, in my view.

‘I am disappointed that the BBC uses a light entertainment programme for misleading gullible consumers and desperate patients. I hope in future the BBC might do a minimum of research before broadcasting overt medical nonsense,’ he told FEMAIL.

Other people who suffer from ME and chronic fatigue syndrome have taken to social media to complain.

One TikToker, called Rebecca, who shares videos about her ME said: ‘As if it’s not bad enough she’s bragging about buying them for £3 and selling them for £30, with her gigantic gross and net margins, well it turns out she’s also selling people in her club snake oil’.

Another, Ollie Benson, who has ME, likened the Dragons’ investment to ‘scamming cancer patients’ and branded the business ‘highly unethical’.

‘The BBC has backed, endorsed and advertised this business to millions of people worldwide’.

Ollie says ME turned him from a competitive swimmer and water polo player to someone who could ‘barely walk up the stairs’

‘Gisele, and now Steven Bartlett are preying on some of the most vulnerable, horribly ill people in society, misleading them, lying to them and taking advantage of their sheer desperation, all for their own financial gain.

Others have taken to X and Facebook to complain saying the Dragons are after a ‘quick money grab’.

Steven Bartlett shared a clip from the show on LinkedIn

Giselle often shares snaps of her trying acupuncture

A BBC spokesperson said: ‘Dragons’ Den features products from entrepreneurs and is not an endorsement of them.

‘Dragons’ Den shows real businesses pitching to investors to lift the lid on what happens in the business world. This episode features an entrepreneur sharing their own, personal experience that led to a business creation.’

In the episode, Giselle said she went form being an advertising executive with a busy social life to unable to leave the house.

She says she was diagnosed with ME and told by doctors she would never recover or be able to have children.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) causes extreme tiredness, sleeping problems and brain fog, in less than 12 months with the help of acupuncture and Chinese ear seeds.

Viewers have taken to social media to say they are ‘disgusted’ at the show

ME Association’s letter to the BBC

On Thursday January 18th the Dragons Den programme included a presentation from an entrépeneur who has set up a business that is selling a medical product called Acu Seeds.

This product, which costs £3 to produce and is sold for £30, is clearly being aimed a people who have ME/CFS and a number of other specific medical conditions – these are conditions are listed on the Acu Seeds website and Facebook page.

The panel interviews failed to include any questions about whether there was any validity to the scientific basis for the use of Acu Seeds in ME/CFS and whether there was any scientific evidence of safety and efficacy for this product in relation to any of the medical conditions that it is aimed at.

Academic review of the pseudoscience behind Acu Seeds.

The Advertising Standards Authority have very strict guidelines on the advertising of medicinal products and make it clear that therapeutic claims cannot be made unless they are supported by robust evidence of safety and efficacy from placebo controlled clinical trials.

No such clinical trials have been carried out in relation to Acu Seeds and I have therefore referred the therapeutic claims in their promotional material to the ASA.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority also have very clear regulations garding the promotion of medical devices such as this.

People who have ME/CFS are often on very low incomes and in the absence of any effective medical treatment are very vulnerable to these sort of unsubstantiated therapeutic claims.

They are fed up with the way in which unproven and expensive treatments are regularly being promoted to them.

This programme has therefore caused a great deal of upset and anger in the ME/CFS patient community.

I would add that my concerns about the way in why this programme appears to have made without any proper background checks before being used to promote Acu Seeds are also shared by Professor Edzard Ernst.

There appears to have been a serious error of judgement in the way in which Dragons Den failed to carry out the necessary background checks on the ethics of this product and went ahead to provide what was basically an uncritical promotion of an unproven medical product.

These concerns have also been passed to the All Party Parliamentary Group on ME at Westminster.

Yours sincerely

Dr Charles Shepherd

Hon Medical Adviser ME Association

Giselle then became pregnant. There is no evidence that ME reduces fertility rates but some related ailments — such as irregular periods and endometriosis — can make it harder to conceive.

She gave up her career in advertising to become a stay-at-home mother. While on maternity leave, she decided to launch her own ear seed business.

She spent 18 months building her business using just £5,000 of her own savings and managed to make a healthy profit her first year.

The mother of a three-year-old daughter then made Dragons’ Den history as she became the first contestant to get an offer from all six judges.

In her pitch, she said: ‘My business is the ideal mix of beauty and wellness. Today, I am asking for £50,000 investment for 10 per cent of my business.

‘Four years ago I was diagnosed with ME. I went from working in a top advertising agency with a busy social life and exercising regularly to being mostly housebound and being unable to walk more than five minutes without having to get back into bed.

‘I was told by doctors that I would never recover, work again or have children. I went on a personal healing journey using diet, acupuncture, Chinese herbs and ear seeds.

‘Using this combination, I believe, helped me recover in less than 12 months.

‘Soon after, I felt pregnant and it was while on maternity leave that I setup Acu Seeds after realising there was a gap in the market for ear seed kits for people to use at home’.

Giselle often shares photos to Instagram showing her journey from ‘ME’ to wellness

The entrepreneur made history – but her ethics have been called into question

Action of ME’s letter to the Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee and Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee

Dear Dame Caroline and Mr Brine,

We are writing to you in your capacity as Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee and Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee respectively, on behalf of the M.E. community, in light of an episode of the BBC’s Dragon’s Den which aired on 18 January 2024.

The episode in question featured an entrepreneur who was seeking investment in her ‘acu seed’ business. Giselle Boxer told the Dragons that she had been diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) and that using this product alongside a combination of alternative medicines ‘aided’ her recovery within 12 months.

We are very concerned that the way in which her pitch was presented on Dragons Den suggests that this product was responsible for her recovery and should therefore be considered an effective treatment.

Sadly, there is currently no known effective treatment for M.E. There has been a distinct paucity of research into this disease, compared to other long-term conditions, which means that M.E. is still without a cure.

As a result, we remind people to only take medical advice from appropriately qualified healthcare professionals and to ensure that any treatment decisions are evidence-based and fully informed.

As you may be aware, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) is a long-term fluctuating illness that causes symptoms affecting many body systems, most commonly the nervous and immune systems.

Symptoms of M.E. include debilitating pain, extreme sensitivity to noise and light, and persistent fatigue associated with post-exertional malaise; the body and brain’s inability to recover after expending even small amounts of energy.

M.E. is not a new condition and whilst some people make good progress and may recover, many in our community will experience these symptoms for decades, with the most severely affected (around 1 in 4 people with M.E.) often unable to leave their house or bed.

According to the business’s website, acu seeds are ‘a needle-free form of auriculotherapy that have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years.’

The website claims the product ‘may support a broad spectrum of health concerns including anxiety, stress, headaches, digestion, immunity, and focus.’

In her TV appearance, Giselle does not explicitly say that acu seeds cured her illness and whilst the website was updated the day after the episode’s airing and now does not claim that acu seeds will cure M.E. or other illnesses, it previously stated that ‘through the use of acupuncture, Chinese herbs and ear seeds, Giselle is now fully recovered (from ME) and thriving!’.

It is important that broadcasters make every effort to ensure that content is accurate and does not contain misleading and potentially dangerous information. Given the episode in question was aired during prime time on BBC One, we worry that a larger audience will have heard this pitch which amounts to an unfounded claim that this form of alternative medicine can cure M.E.

Additional concerns have been raised in relation to a blog post, promoted on a government website on 18 January, which details Giselle’s appearance on the Dragons Den and features a heading ‘Seeds that heal’.

In the age of social media and disinformation, we tend to trust major broadcasters like the BBC and .gov.uk sites to provide us with factual and reliable content. In this case, we believe they have fallen short of these expectations.

This speaks to a larger problem in our society. The internet offers an infinite number of sources at our fingertips, but we face difficulties trying to moderate these.

People can access information from untrustworthy and potentially unsafe sources which can have serious consequences.

We know that the first thing someone does when they are unwell or have a pain is search their symptoms online where thousands of search results await them. Similarly, social media has become an increasingly common source of health information with limited moderation.

This episode of Dragons Den demonstrates how misleading information can make its way to even the most trusted forms of media. We feel it is important, in your roles as Chairs of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee and the Health and Social Care Committee respectively, to investigate the role of media in promoting unfounded health claims and the impact this has on our health and safety.

We would be delighted to meet with you to discuss this matter further and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Action for M.E.

Physios for ME

Dr Charles Shepherd, Hon Medical Advisor, The ME Association

Denise Howorth Kiklees and Calderdale Independent ME Support Group

(KCIMSEG)

Long Covid Support

ME Local Network (MELN)

Mark Harper, Chair, Cambridge ME Support Group

Susan Jones, Coordinator, Cambridgeshire Rural ME Support Group (CrMEtea)

Denise Spreag, #MEAction UK

Janet Sylvester, #MEAction Scotland

25% ME GROUP

Tymes Trust

Baroness Scott of Needham Market

Ear seeds were invented by Dr. Paul Nogier in the 1950s and are similar to an ancient Chinese medicine tool, which uses the principles of acuprssure but without the needles.

Giselle said: ‘They are tiny beads that stick onto the ear applying pressure on to nerve endings.

‘They send signals to the brain and body to relax the nervous system, release endorphins and naturally relieve pain.

‘I work on this business for three days a week and spend the rest of my time working with my three-year-old daughter.’

During the pitch, Giselle put an ear seed on Deborah Meaden’s which are to be left on for five days.

Giselle told the dragons that the ear seeds she was using in her battle with chronic illness were not ‘very beautiful’ and were ’embarrassing’ to have on your ear. This inspired her to design her own more discreet ear seeds.

She has been running the business for 18 months and generated £92,000 in revenue in her first year and a healthy £64,000 net profit – which the dragons found very impressive.

She spent £5,000 of her own savings to get the business off the ground and took a £31,000 salary – and still managed a healthy net profit.

Sara Davies said: ‘Honestly, I have nothing to fault you on. That is all shaping up really well so far.’

Asked about her vision for the brand, Giselle said she wants it to be ‘as big as it can possibly be’.

She said: ‘When I got pregnant, I thought I wanted to be a stay-at-home mum because I had been working in marketing which I didn’t have much passion with.’

But she has found she is very passionate about her business.

Gary Neville said he couldn’t go home if he didn’t invest as his mother, sister, wife and two girls would ‘never forgive’ him. He offered her all the money – £50,000 for 10 per cent of the company.

Deborah Meaden said she ‘it would almost be rude’ not to offer her all the money for 10 per cent of the business

Sara Davies, who has used ear seeds before, was very impressed with Giselle’s business

Gary Neville said he couldn’t go home if he didn’t invest as his mother, sister, wife and two girls would ‘never forgive me’

All the other judges offered Giselle what she was asking for – apart from Diary of a CEO host Steven Bartlett who offered her £50,000 for 15 per cent

After his lengthy football career, Gary has turned his attention to building a business empire

Deborah Meaden said she ‘it would almost be rude’ not to offer her all the money for 10 per cent of the business.

All the other judges offered Giselle what she was asking for – apart from Diary of a CEO host Steven Bartlett who offered her £50,000 for 15 per cent.

He said she was ‘un-uninvestable’ and made the case that he was ‘the dragon to take on the business’.

He offered her the money she wanted for a bigger stake in the business – 15 per cent.

To which, Peter Jones quipped, ‘oh, you don’t want it then’ while Gary Neville said: ‘He’s not a dragon, he’s a snake’.

Steven calmly responded: ‘You can see from the reaction of these two… it says something doesn’t it.

‘I’ll leave it at that because I know what I can do for this business.’

It is the first time in Dragons’ Den history that all the judges made an offer to invest.

‘I don’t know if you believe in spirituality and all this stuff but I was told I was going to meet a man called Steven and that he was going to be really important.

‘This was before any of this happened. So, I would really like to work with you [Steven].

She asked if he would be ‘flexible’ on his 15 per cent offer and asked if he could do 12.5 per cent — which he accepted.

The new business partners embraced before Giselle said partnering with Steven was a ‘complete dream come true’.

Giselle said: ‘I feel like I want to cry. I just want to make my daughter proud’.