How did an advertisement for a so called psoriasis “remedy” get accepted by several national newspapers?

Cashmere Beauty is a “new unisex organic cream,” which, according to advertisements that have appeared recently in three UK national broadsheets, offers “an effective alternative to toxic prescriptive products treating Psoriasis, Eczema or any irritated complexion.” The advertisement, headlined “Psoriasis & eczema remedy discovered,” also claimed that Cashmere Beauty “heals effected [sic] skin, including: scar tissue, bumps, mild acne and stretch marks.” It further claimed the product was “dermatologically tested and FDA approved.”

To find out more, readers were urged to visit Cashmere Beauty's website (http://www.cashmerebeauty.com/), where they could learn that the cream is made from fresh (“not powdered”) cashmere goats' milk and ponder the prices of The Miracle Bar (£10) and a 30 ml pot of the Rapid Recovery Cream (£34.50).

Now the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is investigating whether or not the advertisement, which appeared in the Times, the Independent, and the Guardian, falls foul of its code.

A quick Google search shows that before the ad's …