Oregon’s medical advertising rules address false or misleading statements about a provider’s skill, treatment value, or ability to cure certain conditions. The state’s statute also identifies representations about curing manifestly incurable conditions as a potential basis for disciplinary action.
Medical marketing rules can vary by state, provider type, and service. For a comprehensive review of the responsibilities that apply to your website, advertising, and patient communications, consult with legal counsel familiar with your practice and market.
More Information
Oversight Body:
Oregon Board of Medical Examiners
Reference Citation:
O.R.S. § 677.190
Selected Excerpt:
Grounds for suspending, revoking or refusing to grant license, registration or certification; alternative medicine not unprofessional conduct.
The Board of Medical Examiners for the State of Oregon may refuse to grant, or may suspend or revoke a license to practice for any of the following reasons: (…)
- (3) Representing to a patient that a manifestly incurable condition of sickness, disease or injury can be cured. (…)
- (9) Making statements that the licensee knows, or with the exercise of reasonable care should know, are false or misleading, regarding skill or the efficacy or value of the medicine, treatment or remedy prescribed or administered by the licensee or at the direction of the licensee in the treatment of any disease or other condition of the human body or mind.
What This Means for Oregon Medical Practices
Oregon medical practices should be careful when making claims about treatment outcomes, provider skill, professional superiority, or the expected value of a medical service. Marketing language should be accurate, supportable, and reviewed carefully before publication.
For elective healthcare practices, this applies across the business’s full digital presence, including website copy, paid ads, social media content, email campaigns, landing pages, and before-and-after galleries. Practices should also review language around treatment results, model imagery, patient photos, board certification, and claims that could be interpreted as guarantees.
Sample Best Practices
Use the following sample best practices as a starting point for discussion with your legal counsel. Find out if you need to take steps to avoid the following:
- Making statements about the services you offer that you know or should know are false or misleading.
- Making any statement claiming professional superiority.
- Assuring a permanent cure for an incurable disease.
- Claiming professional superiority without supporting the claim with objective evidence, or using hyperbole when describing your techniques or results.
- Showing patient before and after photos without indicating that results vary and the results shown are not a guarantee.
- Showing models without clearly indicating that the photos are not of actual patients.
- Saying you are board-certified without including in any advertising the name of the board that has certified you.
Is your website following best practices when it comes to medical marketing? Find out by downloading our free Website Compliance Checklist!
Download Free ChecklistMarket Your Oregon Practice With More Confidence
Medical marketing requires more than strong messaging. Your website, ads, social media, email campaigns, landing pages, and patient-facing content should also be reviewed with accuracy, clarity, and compliance awareness in mind.
Etna Interactive helps medical and aesthetic practices create digital marketing strategies that support visibility, patient trust, and practice growth. To learn more about how our team can support your marketing efforts, reach out to learn more or request a consultation with one of our experts.
This page was originally published in March 2013 and has been updated for 2026.
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