A Dragons' Den star accused of promoting "unproven" medicine, namely her ear seeds business, has claimed she was recruited to join the show.
Giselle Boxer, 31, from Sheffield, appeared on the series last week and secured six offers for her business which sells ear seeds, which she claimed helped her myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
The pitch proved controversial, with Dr Charles Shepard of the ME Association saying the show had been used to promote an "unproven treatment".
He said: "People with ME/CFS are fed up with the way in which products like this are regularly being promoted when there is no sound evidence from proper placebo-controlled clinical trials to confirm that they are safe and effective."
However, in an interview with the Mirror, Ms Boxer said she had been asked by a researcher to go on the show.
"Funnily enough they contacted me and I received an email from a researcher there and I initially thought it was a spam email," she said.
"We went through the different stages of the application process and there was so much due diligence and they really looked into every part of my business before I went in to pitch to the Dragons."
She added she “never said the ear seeds are a cure” and that her recovery was supported by a variety of approaches.
The applications’ site for the show states: "As part of normal selection process we may approach entrepreneurs, or they may apply direct. In each case all applications are processed in the same way.”
Asked for comment, a BBC spokesperson said: "Dragons’ Den features products from entrepreneurs and is not an endorsement of them.
"Dragons’ Den shows real businesses pitching to investors to lift the lid on what happens in the business world. This episode features an entrepreneur sharing their own, personal experience that led to a business creation."
Ear seeds are tiny beads which are applied to the ear to stimulate nerve endings. The business, Acu Seeds, states that it does not guarantee curing conditions and that the product is for educational purposes.
In last week’s episode, viewers saw Ms Boxer given £50,000 by entrepreneur Steven Bartlett for a 12.5 per cent stake in her business.
