Table 3.

Examples of not supported claims

Type	Drug	Claim	Reference	Reasons for non-support
False statement	Tilur®(Acemetacin)	As effective as the best, as safe as the	Leeb et al. Orthopädie 33: 1032–1041, 2004	Only comparator to acemetacin was diclofenac which is neither the most effective nor the safest non-steroidal antirheumatic drug
Exaggeration of efficacy	Relpax® (Eletriptan)	Eliminates pain	Sandrini G et al. Neurology 59:1210–1217, 2002	At 24 hours only 24%(40 mg) and 29%(80 mg) of patients treated with eletriptan were pain-free
Unjustified generalization	Xefo® (Lornoxicam)	Safe for heart and circulation	Tsurko V et al. Ter Arkh 74:63–6, 2002	Only blood pressure and heart rate measured. No hard endpoints evaluated
Absence of relation	Duphalac® (Laktulose)	Fast and permanent effect on constipation	Ballongue et al. Scand J Gast 32 Suppl. 222: 41–44, 1997	Constipation not an outcome of the study.
Unjustified transfer to humans	Duspatalin® (Mebeverin)	Effective in all cases of irritable bowel syndrome	Boisson J et al. Chir. Digest.16: 289–292, 1987	Animal study (pigs)