BeActive Brace: Trick or Treat?

Imagine your doctor prescribing a drug for you then telling you that that drug is not intended to treat the ailment for which it was prescribed.

Indeed, that scene would never play out in a doctor’s office (at least we hope not). But consumers should know it’s an unsettlingly common storyline online. You just have to be able to sniff out the fine print — or the Terms of Surrender, as we like to call them (h/t John Hiatt).

Case in point: The BeActive Brace, a device that claims to provide relief from back pain through a pad that applies pressure to your calf. Visit the product’s website and you’ll find the top of the page heavy on science:

• “Relieves tension up the sciatic nerve with firm trigger point acupressure.”
• “BeActive Brace provides relief with acupressure below the knee.”
• “Reduces both short-term and and chronic sciatic back pain.”

While we’re reading up on this “revolutionary discovery,” we’re also treated to a video that plays on a loop on the top right-hand corner of the page. In it, a chiropractor, Dr. Paul Lewandowski, tells us in a monotone: “BeActive provides firm pressure behind the knee on the specific pressure point which can help relieve the pain and suffering from sciatica.”

Finally, you might be thinking at this point, the product I’ve been waiting for to ease my aching back. But keep scrolling down and..

Dammit. The dreaded disclaimer. For all the talk about pain relief and trigger points and sciatic nerves, the BeActive Brace isn’t even a medical device. Behold, the debunker at the very bottom of the page:

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnosis, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. Individual results may vary. Not a medical device. Please consult your physician before using this or any other product that is designed to help relieve a symptoms (sic) or condition.

Well, it was fun while it lasted.

Click here for more Terms of Surrender posts. And let us know if you think you’ve spotted a potential candidate for next time.