Health & Medical Affiliate Disclosures

Health and medical affiliates face the FTC's strictest scrutiny: substantiation, testimonials, and a 'not medical advice' layer. Includes a ready-to-copy sample.

Health and medical affiliate sites — covering devices, treatments, programs, telehealth, and wellness products — face the FTC’s strictest advertising scrutiny. The governing framework is the FTC’s 2022 Health Products Compliance Guidance, which applies to health claims about foods, supplements, drugs, devices, and health-related services alike.

The substantiation standard

Any objective health claim must be supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence before it is made — for health-benefit claims, generally randomized, controlled human trials. The FTC judges advertising by the net impression on consumers, not the marketer’s intent, and holds everyone in the marketing chain responsible. An affiliate who repeats an unsupported claim adopts that claim.

Testimonials and results

Health testimonials are a common trigger for enforcement. Under the FTC guidance, a testimonial cannot be used to make a claim that could not be substantiated if the advertiser made it directly, and dramatic before/after results must be accompanied by what typical users can realistically expect — a bare “results not typical” is insufficient. See also the Fake Reviews Rule.

What your disclosure block should contain

• The affiliate disclosure.
• A prominent “not medical advice” statement directing readers to a qualified provider.
• An “individual results may vary” note where you show outcomes or testimonials.
• No claims to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease unless the product is a lawfully approved drug or device with the required evidence.

Ready-to-use sample disclosure

Last reviewed July 2026. This page is general educational information, not legal or tax advice.