FTC Announces New Business Guidance for Marketers and Sellers of Health Products

The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTCs) Bureau of Consumer Protection today announced the issuance of Health Products Compliance Guidance, the agency’s first revision of its business guidance in this area in nearly 25 years. One major revision is to extend the guidance covering dietary supplements to all health-related products.

The revised guide also reflects updates to other FTC guidance documents, including the guidance on endorsements and testimonials. Among other things, the new guide includes a much more detailed discussion of the amount and type of evidence needed to substantiate health-related claims, with more emphasis on the fact that the FTC, as a general rule, expects high quality randomized, controlled human clinical trials.