§ 20-56-214 — False or misleading advertisement

(a) An advertisement of a food, drug, device, or cosmetic shall be deemed to be false if it is false or misleading in any particular. (b) (1) (A) For the purpose of this subchapter, the advertisement of a drug or device shall also be deemed to be false if the advertisement represents the drug or device to have any effect on any of the following diseases or conditions: (i) Albuminuria; (ii) Appendicitis; (iii) Arteriosclerosis; (iv) Blood poison; (v) Bone disease; (vi) Bright's disease; (vii) Cancer; (viii) Carbuncles; (ix) Cholecystitis; (x) Diabetes; (xi) Diphtheria; (xii) Dropsy; (xiii) Erysipelas; (xiv) Gallstones; (xv) Heart and vascular diseases; (xvi) High blood pressure; (xvii) Mastoiditis; (xviii) Measles; (xix) Meningitis; (xx) Mumps; (xxi) Nephritis; (xxii) Otitis media; (xxiii) Paralysis; (xxiv) Pneumonia; (xxv) Poliomyelitis or infantile paralysis; (xxvi) Prostate gland disorders; (xxvii) Pyelitis; (xxviii) Scarlet fever; (xxix) Sexual impotence; (xxx) Sexually transmitted disease; (xxxi) Sinus infection; (xxxii) Smallpox; (xxxiii) Tuberculosis; (xxxiv) Tumors; (xxxv) Typhoid; or (xxxvi) Uremia. (B) An advertisement of a drug or device shall not be deemed to be false under this subsection if the advertisement is disseminated only for the purpose of public health education by persons not commercially interested, directly or indirectly, in the sale of the drug or device. (2) However, whenever the State Board of Health determines that an advance in medical science has made any type of self-medication safe as to any of the diseases named in subdivision (b)(1)(A) of this section, the board shall by rule authorize the advertisement of drugs having curative or therapeutic effect for the disease, subject to such conditions and restrictions as the board may deem necessary in the interests of public health. (3) This subsection shall not be construed as indicating that self-medication for diseases other than those named herein is safe or efficacious.

Legislative History

Amended by Act 2019, No. 315,§ 2171, eff. 7/24/2019. Acts 1953, No. 415, § 18; A.S.A. 1947, § 82-1118; Acts 2007, No. 827, § 170.