UK watchdog examines Nurofen Express claims

Britain’s advertising watchdog is investigating whether a television ad for Reckitt Benckiser Group’s Nurofen Express pain-relief tablets misled consumers with unfounded claims.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it received complaints in February that the ad was misleading because it implies the drug directly targets head muscles and gives faster headache relief than paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Confirmation of the ASA investigation, which was launched in March, came a day after an Australian court said Reckitt had misled consumers by marketing identical products for different types of pain.

Regarding the British investigation, a Reckitt spokeswoman said there was robust science behind its claims, which had all been approved by the relevant authorities. She declined to comment further.– (Reuters)