What “no side effects” skips

The claim reader flags phrases like these, wherever they appear in an ad:

• “no side effects”
• “side-effect free”
• “no risk”
• “completely safe”

• The risks section of the consent form
• The warnings in the product’s or device’s own labeling
• What they have seen go wrong themselves, and how often

Nothing would count as failing it. No answer could count against it, so asking about it tends to get the same sentence back. Ask about something you can check instead.

Outcome. A statement about the result. Ask what is measured, by whom, and against what.

For example, Botox Cosmetic’s prescribing information carries a boxed warning that toxin effects can spread beyond the injection site.[1]

• Reading a consent form

Paste an ad, a post or a DM. It’s read in your browser, and nothing is sent anywhere.

• What “permanent” leaves out
• What a “guarantee” actually covers
• What “clinically proven” should come with
• “Up to 80%”: a number without its denominator
• “Natural-looking”: by whose judgement?