Dear Fellows and Members,

The Osteopathic Alliance has requested that anyone who has received heavy handed treatment from the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) or Copy Advice Team (CAP) gets in touch with the Institute of Osteopathy.
 
Ben Katz writes:  
 
"We (representatives of the Alliance)  had a constructive meeting at GOsC (on September 10th) and there will be a meeting with the ASA/CAP in the next couple of weeks to begin to explore next steps. We now urgently need specific examples that demonstrate where the Copy Advice Team have been overstepping their remit. Please ask any colleagues you know who have received written advice from CAP to forward this to the iO at ASACampaign@osteopathy.org by Monday 14th."

Warwick Downes gives us some background:
  
"It may have come to your notice that a number of osteopaths have received warnings from the GOsC about promotional material especially on websites, about claims of efficacy of treatment. This relates particularly to issues around the treatment of children.
  
This has happened in response to a specific complaint from what appears to be a campaigning  organisation to the Advertising Standards Authority. The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) codes used by the ASA have for a long time limited the kind of advertising and promotional material used by osteopaths.
 
The Osteopathic Alliance is a body representing many of the postgraduate education providers, such as SCCO, and they have been working for some time to find a way to change the restrictive definitions used by the ASA. They are working with the Institute of Osteopathy and GOsC in their approach to the ASA, and will be meeting with the ASA?CAP in the next couple of weeks.
 
The Osteopathic Alliance have asked for any osteopath who has had written advice on advertising and promotion from the CAP to forward it to the Institute of Osteopathy at ASACampaign@osteopathy.org because they need specific examples that demonstrate where the Copy Advice Team may have been overstepping their remit."
 
Many thanks for your support and in haste,
 
Susan Farwell
SCCO Chair