Bulletin: December 2024
May we wish all our Registered Students, Practitioners and Training Providers
A Very Happy & Peaceful Holiday Season
We have been most grateful for your continued support during 2024. With escalating financial concerns, distressing international events and social media misuse contributing to increasing poor mental health it becomes even more important that our profession continues to provide help and support to those who seek our services, and in so doing to add our not insignificant efforts to the wider health community that perseveres tirelessly for the wellbeing of all.
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The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) –
A reminder of the key rules around smoking cessation
Whatever method they use, smokers will usually only stop smoking if they are determined to do so and have the willpower.
You should hold evidence before claiming or implying that a minor addiction or a bad habit can be treated without effort from those suffering, which the ASA/CAP are yet to see for products/services that intend to help people quit smoking.
For this reason, unqualified claims like “stop smoking the easy way” or any suggestion of “guaranteed success” are likely to break the rules.
The Code requires marketers offering treatment for smokers to help them stop smoking to hold proof if they claim or imply that smokers will have to make no effort to overcome their addiction. Neither the ASA nor CAP has seen evidence that smokers can stop smoking unless they are determined to do so.
Don’t suggest giving up is guaranteed or achievable without effort.
Unqualified claims such as ‘Stop Smoking the easy way’ or ‘Stop Smoking in 1 hour’ often place no emphasis on the participation or action of the smoker and could imply that the method offered, not the smoker’s desire to stop, is the key to success. Those types of claims are unacceptable without substantiation (Rules 3.7 and 12.1) and are likely to be seen as unacceptable guarantees of success.
Conversely, claims such as ‘If you really want to stop smoking, then one session could be all you need’ or ‘Hypnotherapy could help you to give up, if you are determined to stop smoking’ are fine as long as they are not used to imply that the smoker will be able to break the habit without self-control on their part. Attending a course, being hypnotised or buying a book cannot by itself be sufficient to enable a smoker to quit their habit.
Similarly, words such as ‘easy’, ‘permanently’ or ‘cure’ that imply guaranteed success should not be used whereas ‘simple’ or ‘effective’ might be acceptable in the right context. For example, ”For the truly committed, hypnosis could be an effective way to help you give up smoking”
Marketers should avoid making specific claims such as ‘x% success rate’ without rigorous substantiation. Practitioners, such as hypnotherapists or those using neuro-linguistic programming, should be careful to distinguish between success rates achieved by the method generally and those that they have achieved personally. The ASA has ruled that success rates should not be calculated by customers taking advantage of a money-back guarantee or free follow-up sessions if the method is not successful first time.
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Integrative & Personalised Medicine Congress 2025
The GHR has been sent the following announcement re the forthcoming Integrative & Personalised Medicine Congress:
“We are now planning for IPM 2025, which will take place back at the QEII Centre in Westminster, London from 19th – 21st June 2025. We would love to continue to work with both the GHR and GHSC and your support is very much appreciated.”
Join 2500+ healthcare professionals at the IPM congress, incorporating four cutting-edge conferences, an international exhibition of 140+ exhibitors and 70+ CPD approved workshops designed for healthcare professionals who are interested in taking a whole-person, patient-centred approach to health.
Taking place at the prestigious QEII Centre in the heart of London, the congress welcomes healthcare professionals from a range of modalities including conventional, integrative, functional, lifestyle, environmental, complementary and holistic medicine.
Over three days, highly acclaimed healthcare professionals from across the globe will present evidence-based research and case studies during four cutting-edge conferences (Whole-person Health Conference, Integrative Mental Health Conference, the College of Medicine’s Food on Prescription Conference and Advanced Practitioner Conference).
By sharing clinical experience, knowledge and ideas, doctors, therapists and practitioners will gain a greater understanding that a multi-disciplinary team and whole-person approach can provide the patient with the best possible outcomes.
Members of GHR/GHSC can register to attend the conferences at the discounted ‘members rate’ using the code: GHR-20 (20% discount off the non-members price to attend). Conference prices start from £159 and workshop & exhibition prices start from just £30 per day.
Find out more and register at www.ipmcongress.com
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The Administration Team
Views expressed within the above material and any conclusions reached are those of the author/s
and not necessarily shared by the GHR or the GHSC
©General Hypnotherapy Register
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