Dragons' Den entrepreneur who had episode pulled over product safety issues update following controversy

The Dragons' Den entrepreneur who had her episode pulled over product safety has issued an update following the controversy.

Giselle Boxer took the Dragons' Den panel by storm last month (18 January) as she was up against Steven Bartlett, Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Sara Davies, Touker Suleyman and guest businessman/ex footballer Gary Neville in the den.

The 31-year-old appeared on the BBC programme, asking for £50,000 for a 10 percent stake in her business Acu Seeds.

Her company sells needle-free ear acupuncture kits that help combat against anxiety, migraines, hormonal issues, insomnia, and more.

The DIY kits - which can be done from home - cost just £3 to make and are sold for a big mark-up of £30.

BBC

While her 18-month-old business impressed the panel, Boxer revealed she has been diagnosed with ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), sometimes called chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Though the incurable disease can affect anyone, it is most common in women and usually develops been your mid-20s and mid-40s.

From working an office job to having a busy social life, Boxer says she was unable to walk for longer than five minutes - which sparked her 'personal healing journey'.

She explained: "Ear seeds are an ancient Chinese medicine tool, based on the principles of acupuncture, but without the needles.

"They are tiny beads, which stick onto the ear, applying pressure onto nerve endings. They send signals to the brain and body to relax the nervous system, release endorphins and naturally relieve pain."

History was made as all six Dragons made an offer - although this was the first time there's been six panelists - and she decided to go with Bartlett.

BBC

However, the Advertising Standards Authority received complaints since the episode aired on 18 January, due to the 'unproven claims' which Boxer shared in her pitch.

UK based charity Action for ME sent an open letter to the chairs of two House of Commons select committees explaining it was 'very concerned' about Boxer's promotion of her product, as it suggested that her ear seeds were 'responsible for her recovery and should therefore be considered an effective treatment'.

A disclaimer on the Acu Seeds website states that the product is not used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Both medical professionals and 'vulnerable sick people' submitted complaints saying that the product was giving ME sufferers 'false hope', prompting the BBC to remove the Dragons' Den episode from iPlayer.

In a recent update on her Instagram page, Boxer said: "Wow, what a crazy four weeks it has been since my episode went live on Dragon's Den.[...] I had no idea of the impact that the episode would have on my business and I'm only just coming up for air.

"In the last four weeks, we have received nearly 30,000 orders, 10,000+ customer emails and 50,000 new social media followers.

"I have been working closely with Steven Bartlett to put in place new processes and support to operate at this new level. I thank you all for your patience and understanding as the business grows."