Katie Price Faces Formal Investigation Over CBD Cancer Treatment Claims
Reality television personality Katie Price is now facing a formal investigation by trading standards authorities following her promotion of CBD oil as a treatment that allegedly helped shrink a tumor in a two-year-old child. The controversy, which first emerged in April, has escalated with multiple regulatory bodies now examining the potentially dangerous claims.
The Controversial Promotion
In April, the 47-year-old former glamour model shared a video conversation with boxer Anthony Fowler and his wife Serena discussing their daughter Roma, who had been diagnosed with a leg tumor. During the exchange, Price explicitly suggested that CBD oil had reduced the tumor's size, telling viewers: "Your daughter, on her leg and she took this. What was it she had a tumor? They've shown me the pictures of before and after from using CBD where it shrunk it all."
In the accompanying caption, Price described the conversation as "very serious" and wrote that the parents had "refused hospital treatment and healed her themselves which is amazing." She also shared a 40% discount code for the CBD oil brand owned by Roma's parents, promoting it for various conditions including fibromyalgia, arthritis, anxiety, depression, aches, pains, and insomnia.
Immediate Backlash and Regulatory Response
The post sparked immediate and significant backlash, with critics branding the claims "abhorrent," "desperate," and "dangerous." Medical professionals and concerned citizens warned that suggesting CBD could cure or shrink tumors risked misleading vulnerable families facing serious health challenges.
Liverpool City Council has now confirmed it is assessing the matter. A spokesperson stated: "All businesses and traders are required to check that they are not in breach of trading standards. We will look into the matter and take appropriate action if needed."
Additionally, The Sun has reported that Price's post, along with other Instagram advertisements featuring Supreme CBD and Katie Price, have been passed to Westminster Trading Standards by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which received the initial complaints.
An ASA spokesperson confirmed: "We've received a small number of complaints about Supreme CBD and Katie Price's ads. I've spoken to our compliance team and they've confirmed that Supreme CBD has now been referred to Trading Standards. Trading Standards acts as our legal 'backstop.' In parallel, our compliance team is continuing to assess what further action may be appropriate, in regards to this advertiser, including engagement with relevant platforms where necessary."
Medical Experts Sound Alarm
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a compound derived from cannabis that does not produce psychoactive effects. In the United Kingdom, it is commonly sold as a dietary supplement and marketed for issues such as pain relief and relaxation, but it is not approved as a cancer treatment by any regulatory body.
Skin cancer specialist Dr. Emily Alfonsi previously told Metro there is "currently no scientific or clinical evidence" that CBD oil can cure tumors or cancer in humans. "Misinformation, especially when it involves serious illnesses like cancer, can be harmful, and celebrities should know better," she emphasized, adding that no regulatory body endorses CBD oil as a replacement for conventional cancer therapies.
Health professionals continue to urge anyone considering alternative treatments to speak with qualified medical teams and rely on evidence-based guidance from organizations such as the National Health Service (NHS) and Cancer Research UK.
Personal Developments Amid Controversy
The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of Price's recent personal developments. The reality star shocked fans earlier this year when she became engaged to entrepreneur Lee Andrews in Dubai mere days after meeting him, marking her ninth engagement. The couple subsequently tied the knot in a ceremony that reportedly surprised Price's loved ones, who had not met her fourth husband.
The wedding came just weeks after Price's separation from Married At First Sight star JJ Slater, whom she had dated for two years. Since reuniting with Andrews, Price has shared numerous posts on Instagram documenting their time together.
If Price faces legal repercussions regarding her promotion of the CBD oil, she has not yet commented publicly on the matter. The investigation represents a significant escalation in the ongoing scrutiny of celebrity endorsements of unproven medical treatments.
