3. Consider the following statement: "People suffering from chronic pain need hope, and a product like 0-Ray provides hope. Even though it might be difficult to prove that the bracelet relieves pain, if people believe the product will reduce their pain that might become a self-fulfilling prophecy and the person's pain will be ralieved. So, companies like Q-Ray should not be prohibited from advertising that their product has pain-relieving qualities. • Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Defend your answer. Q-Ray advertisements say that its "Serious Performance Bracelet" is designed to help people play, work, and live better. • The advertisements say that the $200 bracelet-which makes people feel better by balancing natural positive and negative forces-is Ionized using a special secret process. Golfers claim that the bracelet reduces their pain, so Mar*etplace went looking for answers at the golf course. Sandra Post, a champion golfer, is a paid spokesperson for the bracelet. When Wendy Masley of MarKetplace interviews her, Post emphasizes the jewellery aspect of the 0-Ray, not its pain-relief qualities. Masley also interviews golfers Frank and Sam. Frank tells her that the bracelet has reduced his arthritis pain, but Sam (who also wears one of the bracelets) thinks the pain relief is mostly in peoples' heads.

Advertising that a product provides pain relief is a tricky business. Even though a lot of people wear the 0-Ray for pain relief , the company cannot advertise that its product relieves pain unless there are medical studies that clearly show this. And there are no such studies. Until 2006, people in 0-Ray ads said that the bracelet had cured their pain. But nC7N they can't say that because the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ruled that such advertising is deceptive.