Whole-body MRI provider Prenuvo challenges advertising claims made by competitor
Whole-body MRI provider Prenuvo recently challenged advertising claims made by competitor Ezra, alleging its services are superior.
Redwood City, California-based Prenuvo filed a formal complaint with the BBB National Programs' Advertising Division in response to the actions. The company had taken issue with claims New York-headquartered Ezra had made on its website about the two whole-body MRI startups’ services.
“Prenuvo argued that Ezra’s advertising misleadingly conveyed the unsupported message that Ezra’s services are superior to those offered by Prenuvo,” the BBB said in its decision, dated April 24.
The BBB National Advertising Division announced the outcome of the matter on Tuesday. Ezra told the division it has voluntarily and permanently discontinued the following three claims:
- Ezra’s full body MRI scan is superior overall to Prenuvo’s full body MRI.
- Ezra’s use of artificial intelligence provides consumers with a meaningful benefit over Prenuvo.
- It takes 10 to 15 days for Prenuvo’s patients to receive their results.
For “compliance purposes, the National Advertising Division said it is treating the action “as though NAD recommended their discontinuance, and the advertiser agreed to comply.” Ezra also indicated it would discontinue eight additional claims as they relate to comparative advertising.” These include that Ezra’s radiologists have greater expertise and specialization, and that the company is “backed by science” while Prenuvo is not.
Ezra—which recently announced plans to be acquired by celebrity-backed longevity startup Function Health—did not respond to Radiology Business requests for comment Tuesday. Prenuvo, meanwhile, shared a statement in response to the announcement.
“At Prenuvo, we believe proactive care is the future and are committed to driving a systemic shift that redefines our relationship to disease,” a representative said by email. “This mission carries great responsibility, and our commitment to transparency, education, and fair communication with patients and medical partners is central to upholding it. Transformative moments in history can be undermined when players optimize for only part of the picture. While we believe there’s room for many contributors with unique philosophies and approaches, it’s essential we all move forward responsibly, in compliance and, most importantly, at the service of the patient.”
The two companies are part of an increasingly crowded market for elective, whole-body MR imaging to help healthy patients seek out cancer and other diseases before they become symptomatic. Prenuvo has raised over $120 million and is backed by model Cindy Crawford, among others, charging $2,499 for its core exam. It has nearly 20 locations and employs a team of over 100 board-certified radiologists.
Ezra, meanwhile, has raised over $44 million and charges $2,395 for its 60-minute MRI exam. It lists nearly 30 locations on its website, inking partnerships with imaging groups such as Rayus Radiology to offer its scans. Ezra’s new owner, Function Health, provides a platform that charges users $499 annually to undergo 100-plus lab tests, empowering them to live “100 healthy years.” The company also is backed by celebrities such as Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal and Kevin Hart.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.