By Sandra Dunham 
Online bra sales must be big business judging by the number of social media ads I receive. Recently, I spotted what I thought might be the bra of my dreams. It looked so comfortable that I decided to invest a few minutes to watch their video. Apparently two “women doctors” developed this bra to be comfortable and flattering and healthy. That’s right, healthy. The video claimed this bra would reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer “which is caused by underwired bras” — a claim that has been thoroughly debunked.
Dr. Jen Gunter provides a great explanation of where the rumour linking underwired bras and breast cancer came from, and completely convinces me of the untruth of this rumour. Wondering whether “Scambras” were truly designed by women doctors, I googled their unfortunately common names. I could find no evidence that physicians with these names exist, but neither can I reliably demonstrate that this is a lie.
Why am I concerned about these claims? I imagine the women with breast cancer who are chastising themselves for wearing underwired bras and thinking that this was the cause. I am also concerned about women who are now worrying about getting breast cancer because of their bra choices. And frankly, I am concerned about how easy it is to use social media to rewrite science.
Let’s boycott products that prey on our fears. If you see false advertising, recognize it, and refuse to purchase those products. I have chosen not to identify the company, nor share the video as I do not want to provide them with an audience. “Scambra” lost me as a customer.