Ridley Road Market trader rapped for alleged misleading cancer treatment claims

A Ridley Road Market trader has been warned against making “misleading” claims her herbal remedy was a treatment for cancer.

Hackney Council’s Trading Standards officers claim Adenike Omojola was marketing powder from the leaves of Moringa Oleifera, or drumstick tree, as a treatment for cancer as well as diabetes, arthritis, aneamia, asthma, gastric ulcers, epilepsy and kidney stones.

They have now told her that the claims are illegal under the Cancer Act 1939, and have warned her not to produce any ads containing an offer to treat anyone for cancer or to prescribe any remedy, and removed leaflets from her stall.

Ms Omojola is registered as a company owner for Modrosel UK, and the same statements have been removed from its websites.

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Sophie Linden, said: “It is an offence to mislead the public with false claims about any product.

“It can be especially harmful when dealing with a serious disease like cancer which requires specialist medical treatment.”

But a spokeswoman for Modrosel denied making claims about the product reducing cancer.

She said: “Ayervedic medicine uses moringa oleiera to previent and treat 300 diseases.

“It’s a food supplement with a lot of antioxidants, we call it a super food that’s very good to add to your daily nutrients, with antioxidants to remove free radicals, it’s not intended to cure any diseases.

“On the packet of the product there is a disclaimer which clearly states that it hasn’t been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.”