If you sell supplements in the United States, a few words in a product description can turn it into an unapproved drug in the eyes of the FDA. Here's the line between a claim you can make, and one you can't. This is general information, not legal advice.
No disease claims
The core rule: a dietary supplement can't claim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent a disease. Words like cures, treats, or prevents, next to the name of a disease, are the classic problem.
- ❌ “Cures arthritis”
- ❌ “Treats anxiety and depression”
- ❌ “Prevents colds and flu”
- Why: Disease claims make it a drug
Structure and function claims
What you can use are structure and function claims. These describe how a nutrient supports the normal structure or function of the body, without naming a disease.
| Disease claim | Structure/function |
|---|---|
| Cures joint pain from arthritis | Supports joint comfort and flexibility |
The disclaimer
These claims come with conditions. They have to be truthful, and not misleading. And the label needs the standard disclaimer: that the statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and that the product isn't meant to treat or prevent any condition.
- Truthful: Not misleading
- Disclaimer: “This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA…”
- And: “…not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
Back it up
The FTC has its own rule for advertising, and your product page counts. Health claims need to be backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence. That applies to customer testimonials you choose to feature, too.
- Standard: Competent and reliable scientific evidence
- Applies to: Product pages, ads, social posts
- Also: Testimonials you feature
Doing this at scale
ContentGuard scans every product description and flags each claim as safe, risky, or prohibited, against the rule profile you choose. Each finding cites the rule behind it, and comes with a suggested rewrite you can apply in one click. It's a screening tool, not a substitute for legal review. See ContentGuard.