Email Compliance Cheat Sheet

Running a health or supplement brand means your marketing is always under the spotlight. Regulators, platforms, and even customers are paying attention to the words you use. Why? Because in health, words carry weight.

A single unqualified claim, a missing FDA disclaimer, or a citation that doesn’t actually back up your product isn’t just a minor error. It can lead to financial penalties, account suspensions, or worse — a complete loss of trust with your audience.

For founders and executives, compliance is often treated like a back-burner task. Something you “know you need” but never quite prioritize. But here’s the truth: ignoring compliance isn’t just a regulatory risk, it’s a growth risk. If your brand gets flagged or shut down, you’re not scaling — you’re scrambling to recover.

That’s why we created the Health Brand Email Compliance Cheat Sheet: a clear, practical, plain-English guide that shows you how to keep your email marketing persuasive and protected.

Why Email Compliance Matters More Than Ever

In 2025, health brands face an environment of heightened scrutiny.

• The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) oversees advertising and requires all health claims to be truthful, not misleading, and substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence. In practice, that means well-conducted human clinical trials. Anecdotes, theories, or “studies on rats” don’t cut it.

• The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulates dietary supplement labeling and requires a mandatory disclaimer whenever you make a structure/function claim (claims about how a nutrient supports normal body functions). They also strictly prohibit disease claims — you cannot say or imply that your supplement prevents, treats, or cures a medical condition.

And it doesn’t stop with the regulators. Retail platforms like Amazon and Shopify have their own enforcement systems. They often act faster than the FDA or FTC. If your copy looks risky, your listing can be pulled overnight.

So compliance is not just about avoiding fines. It’s about ensuring your brand has the stability and trust to keep growing.

The Cheat Sheet: What Every Health Brand Email Needs

The cheat sheet is designed to make compliance less of a guessing game. Think of it as a checklist you can run every campaign through before you hit “send.”

1. Disclaimers

The FDA requires this exact disclaimer when you make structure/function claims:

“These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”

A few key rules:

• It must appear clearly and conspicuously (typically in the footer).

• It must be live text, not buried in an image.

• Many brands add “Individual results may vary” to strengthen clarity, though this part is optional.

Note: If your email makes no structure/function claims (e.g., “20% off this week”), this disclaimer is not required. But including it consistently is often safer, especially when campaigns mix promotional and health-related messaging.

2. Symbols

Symbols aren’t mandated by regulation, but they are a practical way to link claims, notes, and disclaimers. Consistency is key:

• * → Connects a claim to the FDA disclaimer

• † → Marks clarifiers, such as “Based on manufacturer data†”

• ¹,²,³ → Tie claims to specific scientific studies cited in the footer

Note: There’s no law saying you must use an asterisk or dagger. What matters is that readers can clearly connect the claim to the disclaimer or reference.

3. Language Rules

Your word choice is where compliance often lives or dies.

✅ Permitted examples (structure/function):

• Supports healthy skin

• Helps maintain joint comfort

• Shown to support heart health

🚫 Prohibited examples (disease claims):

• Treats eczema

• Prevents heart disease

• Cures arthritis

The difference looks subtle, but it’s critical. Saying “supports healthy joints” is a function claim. Saying “treats arthritis” is a disease claim — and will land you in hot water.

Note: Even safe words like “supports” can become non-compliant if tied to a disease. Example: “Supports blood sugar in diabetics” is still a disease claim.

4. Citations

Citations are powerful, but they can also create risk if misused.

Here’s how to do it right:

• Use superscripts in your copy (¹,²,³).

• Provide full references at the bottom in NLM format.

• Only use peer-reviewed human studies or valid manufacturer clinical trials.

Example:
¹ Proksch E, et al. Oral intake of bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(3):113-119.

Note: Citing a study that doesn’t match your ingredient type, dosage, or population can mislead consumers — and trigger enforcement. Accuracy matters as much as citation format.

5. Design Rules

Compliance isn’t just about what you say — it’s about how you present it.

• Disclaimers must be easy to read. Use a font that’s legible with good contrast.

• Never hide disclaimers inside product images.

• Avoid disease-related imagery and before/after photos. Both imply outcomes regulators consider medical claims.

• Keep disclaimers in live text so they can’t be missed or skipped.

Note: There’s no specific font size requirement like “8 pt minimum.” The standard is “clear and conspicuous.” Ask yourself: would the average consumer easily notice it?

Quick Compliance Checklist

Before hitting send on any campaign with health-related claims, confirm the following:

• FDA disclaimer included in live text

• Claims framed as structure/function, not disease

• Symbols (*, †, ¹) used consistently

• Citations relevant, accurate, and properly formatted

• No hidden disclaimers, misleading imagery, or prohibited language

Note: If the campaign has no health claims at all (e.g., pure discount offers), this checklist does not apply. But once you mention product benefits, compliance rules kick in.

Final Word

Compliance may feel like red tape, but it’s really a moat around your brand. It protects you from regulators, shields you from platform takedowns, and signals to your customers that you’re trustworthy.

The Health Brand Email Compliance Cheat Sheet is designed to remove the guesswork. It’s practical, easy to apply, and written in plain English — not legal jargon.

👉 Use it as your safeguard. Use it as your process. And use it to build a brand that can scale without fear.

⚖️ Disclaimer: This guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For complex or high-risk claims, consult regulatory counsel.