Veterinarians have a right to promote their practices through advertisements. However, there are ethical advertising standards each veterinarian must follow.
Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics of the AVMA:
“Advertising by veterinarians is ethical when there are no false, deceptive, or misleading statements or claims. A false, deceptive, or misleading statement or claim is one which communicates false information or is intended, through a material omission, to leave a false impression.” [AVMA Ethics Guidelines]
Honest, nondeceptive advertisements help owners make informed decisions regarding their pet’s care.
For an advertisement to be truthful, there must be evidence to back up each assertion. An advertisement is nondeceptive if it is not likely to mislead a reasonable consumer and does not omit any necessary information for the consumer to make an informed decision. Further, all material information must be disclosed in a manner that a reasonable consumer could understand.
Obviously, truthful advertising is important to both the American Veterinary Medical Association and to the Federal Trade Commission. All states have laws prohibiting false and deceptive advertising. Although every veterinarian must comply with the Federal Trade Commission, each veterinarian should be aware of their state’s laws regarding advertising.
Veterinarians should make a point to understand the law through veterinary associations and, if necessary, with the help of legal counsel. Advertisements are a great resource for veterinary practitioners. As long as veterinarians comply with state and federal law, advertising may go a long way in building mutual trust. Advertising can come in many forms, including the uniform that vets wear, it can show professionalism along with the practice’s name. Having custom t shirts made up with the logo and a number to call can help bring in customers and provide business for the company.
Stuart J. Oberman, Esq. handles a wide range of legal issues for the veterinary profession including employment law, practice sales, real estate transactions, lease agreements, OSHA compliance, veterinary board complaints, employment law, and entity formation.
For questions or comments regarding this article please call (770) 554-1400 or visit www.obermanlaw.com
If you would like Stuart J. Oberman, Esq. to speak at an event to your organization, please contact Katharine Drum, Marketing Coordinator (kath@obermanlaw.com)
Author(s)
Stuart J. Oberman, Esq.
Stuart J. Oberman is the founder and President of Oberman Law Firm. Mr. Oberman graduated from Urbana University and received his law degree from John Marshall Law School. Mr. Oberman has been practicing law for over 30 years, and before going into private practice, Mr. Oberman was in-house counsel for a Fortune 500 Company.
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