By Mehdi HassanWhat health claims can a wellness or supplement website make?
A wellness or supplement website can make structure/function claims, which describe how a nutrient or ingredient supports the normal structure or function of the body, such as calcium builds strong bones. It can't make disease claims, which say or imply that a product diagnoses, treats, cures, mitigates or prevents a disease. That line comes from the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, which the FDA enforces.
The FTC enforces the other half: every claim on your site, product page, ad or social post must be truthful and backed by evidence. This guide takes a copywriter's view, because most problems are fixed in the wording. It's part of our healthtech website design series. It isn't legal advice, so have counsel review your final claims.
What's the difference between a disease claim and a structure/function claim?
A disease claim names or implies a disease, or its characteristic symptoms, and says the product affects it. A structure/function claim describes the product's role in maintaining normal, healthy function without referring to a disease. The test is what a reasonable reader would take away, not just the words used.
Claim type | Example | Who regulates | What it needs |
|---|---|---|---|
Disease claim | Lowers high blood pressure | FDA (drug rules) | Not allowed for supplements |
Structure/function claim | Supports healthy circulation | FDA and FTC | FDA disclaimer, notification, evidence |
Authorized health claim | FDA-approved wording on nutrient and disease risk | FDA | Exact authorized wording |
General wellness claim | Helps you build a calmer evening routine | FTC; FDA wellness policy for devices | Truthful, substantiated |
Nutrient content claim | High in vitamin C | FDA | Must meet defined levels |
Wellness apps and devices have a parallel line. The FDA's general wellness policy treats low-risk products promoting a healthy lifestyle differently from those that claim to treat or diagnose a condition. Mentioning a specific disease can change which side you're on.
How do you rewrite a disease claim into a compliant claim?
Rewrite a disease claim by removing the disease, describing the normal function the product supports and making sure you can prove what's left. Sometimes there's no compliant version, and the honest answer is to cut the claim.
Disease claim | Why it fails | Possible rewrite |
|---|---|---|
Relieves anxiety | Anxiety disorders are diseases | Supports a sense of calm (if supported) |
Prevents colds and flu | Names diseases | Supports normal immune function |
Reduces joint pain from arthritis | Names a disease and its symptom | Supports joint comfort and flexibility after exercise |
Lowers cholesterol | Treats a disease marker | Helps maintain cholesterol levels already in the normal range |
Fights insomnia | Insomnia is a condition | Supports restful sleep |
Detoxes your liver | Implies treatment and is hard to substantiate | Usually no compliant version; cut it |
What does the FDA disclaimer need to say on a supplement website?
Each structure/function claim for a dietary supplement needs the standard FDA disclaimer: This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you have several claims, the plural version is used. The FDA also expects you to notify it of the claim after you start marketing it.
On a website, link each claim to the disclaimer with a clear marker and place the disclaimer near the claim, not only in a distant footer. The disclaimer doesn't cure a disease claim: if the copy says the product treats a condition, adding the disclaimer underneath doesn't make it compliant.
Where do hidden health claims show up on a website?
Hidden health claims show up anywhere a reader can form an impression, not just in product descriptions. Regulators look at the whole site, so audit every surface that carries words or images.
- Product names such as a supplement called a disease name plus Relief.
- Images and icons, such as a before-and-after photo, an anatomical diagram or a pill shown next to a medical chart.
- Testimonials and reviews you feature or repost. Under the FTC's endorsement guidance, you can't use a customer's words to make a claim you couldn't make yourself.
- Blog posts about a disease that link straight to a product page.
- Page titles, meta descriptions and hidden keywords, which regulators have cited as evidence of intended use.
- Social posts and influencer content you pay for or share.
The same discipline applies to environmental claims, which our guide to greenwashing and your website covers, and to financial products in fintech website compliance.
How do you set up health claims website compliance review?
Set up health claims website compliance review as a standing process with a claims list, an evidence file and a named reviewer, so new pages don't bypass it. A one-off audit decays as soon as marketing ships the next campaign.
Inventory every claim
List each claim across product pages, ads, emails, social and the blog, word for word, with the page it appears on.
Classify each one
Mark it disease, structure/function, nutrient content or general wellness. Rewrite or cut disease claims.
Match evidence to each claim
Link each remaining claim to the studies that support it, for the same ingredient, dose and benefit.
Add disclaimers and notifications
Place the FDA disclaimer near each structure/function claim and confirm the notification has been filed.
Lock it into the CMS
Store approved claims as reusable content so writers pick from the approved list instead of inventing new wording.
Review before publishing
Route new claims, testimonials and influencer briefs to counsel or a trained reviewer before they go live.
Hypothetical example: rewriting a sleep supplement page
For example, suppose a brand's sleep supplement page says: Beat insomnia naturally. Our formula fixes sleep problems for good, and features a review saying it cured years of sleepless nights.
The rewrite: Supports restful sleep, with the dose and the ingredients named and linked to the studies behind them. The phrase for good is cut because no evidence supports a permanent effect. The cure testimonial is removed and replaced with one about the experience, such as how easy the routine is to stick to. The FDA disclaimer sits under the claim, and the product's meta description drops the word insomnia. The page is calmer, and every remaining sentence can be defended.
Do these claim rules affect how AI engines quote your website?
They do in practice. AI search engines quote clear, specific, self-contained sentences, so the claim on your page is the one most likely to be repeated word for word. A carefully worded, supported claim travels well. An overstated one gets amplified, along with your brand name.
Write each product page so its first lines state what the product is, what it's designed to support and for whom, in compliant language. Our guide to building an AI-search-ready website covers structure and schema. Accessible claims matter too, so include disclaimers as real text rather than images; see website accessibility for startups. The FTC publishes its health products guidance for advertisers.
