Dragons' Den's pulled episode returns to BBC iPlayer with warning
Dragons' Den has restored a previously pulled episode to iPlayer with a newly-added content warning.
The episode, which aired on 18 January, saw businesswomen Giselle Boxer successfully pitch her ear seed business Acu Seeds to the Dragons, winning £50,000 in exchange for 10% of her company after she claimed the seeds helped her recover from ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis).
The episode was pulled after the group Action for ME made a complaint and said they were "very concerned" about the segment.
In the edited re-upload, a caption now appears on screen that reads: "Acu Seeds are not intended as a cure for any medical condition and advice should always be sought from a qualified healthcare provider about any health concerns."
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In its open letter, Action for ME warned that broadcasters need to make "every effort to ensure that content is accurate and does not contain misleading and potentially dangerous information".
"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."
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Before the episode was re-uploaded, the BBC released a statement about the episode, saying: "Dragons' Den features products from entrepreneurs and is not an endorsement of them.
"Dragons' Den shows real businesses pitching to investors to lift the lid on what happens in the business world. This episode features an entrepreneur sharing their own, personal experience that led to a business creation."
Dragons' Den airs on Thursday nights on BBC One at 8pm and streams on iPlayer.
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