FTC Releases Supplements Advertising Guidelines

WASHINGTON—Manufacturers of dietary supplements must not only back up the explicit claims they make about their products but also the benefits they imply through advertising, according to a newly released 26-page booklet that describes in detail the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) standards for supplements advertisements.

“Dietary Supplements: An Advertising Guide for Industry” was created over the past year to clarify confusing standards that were limiting information to consumers about dietary supplements products and were not consistent with the standards FDA uses under DSHEA.

“It is going to continue to be a matter of judgment on the part of companies” on some issues, says Annette Dickinson of the Council for Responsible Nutrition. “These guidelines provide the kind of information that will help them make those judgments.”

Dietary supplements cannot promise to directly treat or prevent disease, but they can make more vague claims of supporting bodily functions. The guidelines stress that advertisers must have adequate evidence to support any product claims, even those that may be implied.

In the document, 36 hypothetical cases are presented to illustrate the agency’s enforcement practices with respect to express and implied claims; qualifying information; disclosure; substantiation; amount, type, quality and relevance of evidence; and the use of the disclaimer that under DSHEA must accompany all statements of nutritional support in product labeling.

The Advertising Guide Booklet is available through FTC’s website at www.ftc.gov, by calling 202.326.3148, or writing to FTC, 6th & Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580.