Health Claims
Advertising claims about health benefits of products, heavily regulated by the FTC, FDA, and all major ad platforms.
What Health Claims means
Health claims in advertising are assertions about a product's ability to prevent, treat, cure, or mitigate diseases or health conditions. These claims are among the most heavily scrutinized by both regulators and platforms. The FTC requires competent and reliable scientific evidence to substantiate health claims. The FDA regulates health claims on food and supplement labels. Platform policies add further restrictions — Meta prohibits ads that imply the ability to cure or prevent diseases, Google requires LegitScript certification for addiction treatment and pharmacy ads, and most platforms restrict before/after images for health products. Categories including supplements, weight loss, CBD/hemp, telehealth, and medical devices face the most stringent review. Misleading health claims can result in both ad rejection and FTC/FDA enforcement actions with substantial financial penalties.
Related terms
Substantiation
The requirement to have evidence supporting advertising claims before making them, enforced by the FTC and platform policies.
Before/After Images
Comparison images showing results before and after using a product or service, heavily restricted on most ad platforms.
Disclaimer
A statement in or accompanying an ad that limits liability, clarifies claims, or provides legally required disclosures.
Restricted Content
Ad content categories that are allowed on platforms but only with specific restrictions, certifications, or targeting limitations.