Health conditions

Helpful information on the advertising rules for products used to treat health conditions, and examples of previous Advertising Standards Authority rulings in this area.

Many advertisers of health-related products or therapies are keen to list ailments that they believe their products or therapies can treat. However, the advertising rules restrict the types of claims anyone other than qualified health professionals can make.

The rules classify ailments in to two groups: those that can be acceptably referred to in ads targeted at the general public or those that can’t because they are considered too serious to be diagnosed or treated without relevant medical supervision. Any claims made must be backed up by robust evidence.

Examples of ailments that may be referred to in ads, providing the advertiser can prove the efficacy of the product or therapy, include: arthritic pain, trouble sleeping, smoking cessation and minor sports injuries. Examples of ailments that can’t usually be referred to in ads include: arthritis, depression, diabetes, infertility and impotence.

Claims that a product can “cure”, “restore”, “prevent”, “avoid”, “fight” or “heal” should be avoided as these are generally considered as medicinal claims and should only be made if the product has a MHRA licence.

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Latest rulings

Fanfinders Ltd
- Upheld
- 09 October 2024
A paid-for Facebook ad promoting a free baby box featured an image which didn’t accurately represent what customers received.
247 Home Furnishings Ltd t/a 247Blinds
- Upheld
- Internet (website content)
- 04 September 2024
A website ad which made references to blindness were likely to cause serious or widespread offence on the grounds of disability.
Hike Future Ltd t/a Hike Footwear
- Upheld
- Social media (paid ad)
- 28 August 2024
Three paid-for Facebook ads made misleading claims about a money back guarantee, made medical claims for unlicensed products and featured testimonials that weren’t genuine.
Flow Neuroscience AB t/a Flow
- Upheld
- Internet
- 07 August 2024
An ad on Gemma Collins' Instagram account discouraged treatment for depression, a condition for which medical supervision should be sought.

View all rulings

Health conditions

Helpful information on the advertising rules for products used to treat health conditions, and examples of previous Advertising Standards Authority rulings in this area.

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