A confident headline, a patient testimonial, a “before & after” — the things that sell most services can quietly cross a line in healthcare. Here’s who is watching, what gets practices in trouble, and how a marketing review protects you before anything goes live.
Unlike a restaurant or a salon, a health practice answers to more than the market. Several bodies can act on how you advertise — and in Canada, the most active one is usually the one practitioners forget.
RCDSO (dentists), CPSO (physicians), the College of Physiotherapists, and their counterparts set advertising standards for members and investigate complaints. This is the regulator most likely to act — and discipline can become part of a public record.
Governs claims about drugs, medical devices and natural health products. What you may say about a product or therapy is constrained by its approved use.
Enforces the Competition Act against false or misleading marketing. Unsupported performance or comparative claims are reviewable conduct and can carry penalties.
CASL governs your email and electronic marketing. PHIPA (and PIPEDA) governs patient information — including anything a marketing funnel collects.
If your advertising targets U.S. patients, the FDA and FTC enter the picture too. They do not apply automatically to a Toronto practice serving Toronto patients — a distinction the generic “FDA compliance” pitch usually gets wrong.
We read every public claim on your site, profile and ads, and return a Health Marketing Compliance Review. For each flagged item:
Each review closes with a plain status, so you know where you stand: