The truth in Advertising
Most of us have seen at least a dozen different toothpaste
commercials that claim, "Three out of four dentists
recommend...." You may have wondered, as I did, how each of
these claims could be possibly be true. They are based on
statistical evidence, so why are there such varied results? If
you listen to advertising, there seems to be no clear consensus
on which health-related products--aspirin, cough syrup,
antihistamines--are the best. They are all recommended by 3 out
of 4 professionals. Is it possible they are making false claims?
The truth is that they are all telling the truth. When it comes
to marketing a health product, the FTC (Federal Trade
Commission) is always watching to make sure advertisers never
tell a lie. Statements such as _____ reduces the risk of cancer,
______ removes harmful toxins from your water, or _____ fights
plaque and reduces gingivitis, must all be substantiated. In
other words, the products must do what they claim. To avoid the
wrath of the FTC, it is always best to tell the truth about your
product or service, especially in the health industry. But what
is truth? In subjective terms it is difficult to discern.
However, the FTC has many guidelines to help you find truth in
your advertising: *Before you run an ad, you have to have a
"reasonable basis" for your claims. A "reasonable basis" is
objective evidence that supports the claim. At a minimum, an
advertiser must have the level of evidence that it claims to
have. The statement "two out of three doctors recommend..." must
be supported by a reliable survey. *If the ad isn't specific,
the FTC looks at several factors to determine what level of
proof is necessary, including what experts in the field think is
needed to support the claim. *Ads that make health or safety
claims must be supported by "competent and reliable scientific
evidence" - tests, studies, or other scientific evidence that
has been evaluated by people qualified to interpret it. Any
tests or studies must be conducted using methods that experts in
the field deem acceptable. These are just a few of the
guidelines to consider when making an advertising claim. But
don't be too worried. As long as you tell the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth, there is no reason to keep
looking over your shoulder.