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Medical devices
Helpful information on the advertising rules for medical devices and examples of previous Advertising Standards Authority rulings in this area.
Medicinal claims and medical indications in ads may only be made for medical devices which are CE-marked to show they have been approved under the relevant EU legislation. Under the advertising rules, a medicinal claim is defined as a claim which suggests a product can be used to make a medical diagnosis, or can be used to treat or prevent disease, injury, ailments or adverse conditions of the mind or body, in humans.
It is important to note, a CE mark does not automatically mean advertisers can make claims about the efficacy of a product without holding additional evidence which supports the claim and can be provided on request.
Other rules that are important when advertising a medical device include ensuring the ad does not encourage consumers to use a product to excess, or discourage them from essential treatment for conditions for which medical supervision should be sought. Advertisers also must be careful not to confuse consumers by using unfamiliar scientific words for common conditions.
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Latest rulings
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Actegy Ltd
- Upheld in part
- Television
- 06 August 2025
A TV ad for ‘Revitive Circulation Booster’, a Neuromuscular electrical stimulation device, claiming it could reduce swelling did not make clear this was only in relation to healthy people and was a temporary result. It also made misleading claims the device could improve walking distance and duration for th...
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Navi Organics Ltd
- Upheld
- Website (own site)
- 11 June 2025
A website made unsubstantiated efficacy claims and discouraged essential treatment for conditions for which medical supervision should be sought.
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Insulet International Limited t/a Omnipod
- Upheld
- Internet (video)
- 21 May 2025
A video on demand ad failed to present qualifying text clearly.
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Oakever Games PTE Ltd
- Upheld
- In-game (apps)
- 18 December 2024
Two in-game ads made medical claims for an unregistered device which didn’t hold the relevant compliance labels and made unsubstantiated claims that an app could improve memory and sleep.
Help getting it right
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Health: Medical devices
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Detoxing: General
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