BBC take down Dragons Den episode with ME Acu Seeds product

It comes as campaigners said businesswoman Giselle Boxer made “unfounded claims” in the BBC business show.

Boxer created Acu Seeds and was shown in series 21 securing an investment from entrepreneur and podcaster Steven Bartlett.

Now, a BBC spokesperson has confirmed they are reviewing the episode.

BBC takes down Dragons Den episode over ME product concerns

Discussing the episode, a BBC spokesperson said: “We’re taking the concerns raised seriously, so we are reviewing the episode and therefore it’s currently not available on iPlayer.”

The BBC had earlier defended the programme, saying it “features products from entrepreneurs and is not an endorsement of them” and Boxer is sharing a “personal experience that led to a business creation”.

We have coordinated an open letter with other M.E. orgs in response to the recent Dragons Den episode in which a contenstant made unevidenced claims regarding the efficacy of 'acu seeds' as a treatment for #MECFS

You can view the letter here: https://t.co/Usy0zf78Ny

— Action for M.E. (@actionforme) January 22, 2024

The now-taken-down episode of Dragons Den aired on January 18 and saw Boxer share that she had used “diet, acupuncture, Chinese herbs and ear seeds” to aid her recovery from ME, and had turned the latter idea into the brand Acu Seeds.

An open letter, organised by Action for ME, to the chairs of two House of Commons select committees said it was “very concerned” that how her pitch was presented suggested the product was “responsible for her recovery and should therefore be considered an effective treatment”.

The charity also said on X, formerly Twitter, that its chief executive, Sonya Chowdhury, has written to BBC director-general Tim Davie to voice “concerns over the episode”.

During the show, Sheffield-based Boxer told the potential investors that she had established the product after seeking treatments when she was diagnosed with ME at the age of 26.

She said: “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, unable to walk for 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.

Steven Bartlett invested in the company. (Image: BBC Studios/Simon Pantling)

“I went on a personal healing journey using diet, acupuncture, Chinese herbs and ear seeds. Using this combination, I believe, aided my recovery within 12 months.”

The pitch became historic as all six Dragons, Gary Neville guest starring, put in an offer for her Acu Seeds product, which is described as a “DIY needle-free ear acupuncture for anxiety, migraines, hormonal issues, insomnia, weight loss and more”.

After hearing their offers, she decided to pick tech entrepreneur Bartlett to invest in her business.

Following the Dragons Den episode, a joint letter signed by ME campaign groups was sent to Culture, Media and Sport Committee chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage and Health and Social Care Committee chairman Steve Brine.

The groups said that, as the episode was aired in prime time on BBC One, they were concerned that a larger audience would have heard the pitch which they alleged “amounts to an unfounded claim that this form of alternative medicine can cure ME”.

The wait is finally over! In just one hour Gary Neville steps into the Den as a Guest Dragon! You do not want to miss tonight’s episode! Here is a preview of what’s to come! https://t.co/L8hL39xQME
Tune in to @BBCOne and @BBCiPlayer at 8pm for the whole story #dragonsden

— BBC Dragons' Den (@BBCDragonsDen) January 18, 2024

It added: “Sadly, there is currently no known effective treatment for ME. There has been a distinct paucity of research into this disease, compared to other long-term conditions, which means that ME 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.”

The letter also said broadcasters must make “every effort to ensure that content is accurate and does not contain misleading and potentially dangerous information”.

What is ME, myalgic encephalomyelitis?

ME is a long-term condition with a wide range of symptoms including extreme tiredness, sleep issues and concentration problems, according to the NHS website.

It states that while there is currently no cure for the condition, there are treatments that may help manage it.