List A: Conditions to seek suitably qualified medical advice
Most health practitioners specialise in treating different types of ailments and medical conditions. For example, a physiotherapist may treat aches and pains. According to CAP, practitioners of the disciplines represented by the (M) or (Ac) below can probably treat those listed ailments or medical conditions.
If you are accredited by a relevant professional or regulatory body, it may be acceptable to mention any of the below conditions if you are suitably qualified in that specific area.
- addictions
- alcoholism (dependence)
- age-related macular degeneration, AMD
- anaemia
- angina
- anorexia
- arthritis (c.f. arthritic pain) (M)
- asthma
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD
- autism
- blood pressure, high
- bronchitis
- bulimia
- cancer
- cataracts
- Crohn’s disease
- circulation, poor (c.f. circulatory problems)
- chronic obstructive airway disease, COAD
- compulsions
- depression (c.f. feeling down or feeling blue)
- diabetes
- diverticulitis
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- drug addiction (substance abuse)
- ear disorders, serious
- eating disorders
- emphysema
- epilepsy
- erection problems or erectile dysfunction (c.f. temporary erection problems, temporary erectile dysfunction)
- eye disorders, serious
- fibroids
- fits
- frigidity
- gall bladder disorder
- gall stones
- genito-urinary disorders
- glaucoma
- gout
- hiatus hernia
- heart disease
- herpes zoster (shingles)
- human immunodeficiency virus, HIV
- hypertension impotence (c.f. temporary erection problems, temporary erectile dysfunction)
- infectious diseases
- infertility (c.f. sexual counselling)
- insomnia, chronic
- jaw joint dysfunction
- kidney disorders
- learning difficulties
- leukaemia
- malignant diseases
- mania
- multiple sclerosis, MS
- malaria
- memory problems or memory lapses
- menopausal symptoms
- menstruation, regulation of
- metabolic diseases
- migraine (c.f. migraine headaches)
- muscular dystrophy
- myopathy
- obesity (c.f. diet, trouble sticking to)
- obsessions
- obsessive compulsive disorder, OCD
- osteoporosis
- overdose
- pancreatitis paralysis
- Parkinson’s disease
- prostate problems
- psoriasis (c.f. skin problems)
- psychosis
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- respiratory diseases
- schizophrenia
- ‘senility’
- sexually transmitted diseases
- skin disorders, serious
- spinal injuries
- stroke
- suicidal thoughts
- thrush, oral (c.f. thrush, vaginal)
- tonsillitis
- tuberculosis
- ulcer, gastric
- under-eating
- whiplash
(M) stands for Manipulation e.g. osteopathy, physiotherapy, chiropractic.
(Ac) stands for Acupuncture.
Please note: This list is not exhaustive and is subject to amendment and updating in line with ASA adjudications and prevailing medical opinion, including Government reports.
Useful resources
- CAP Help Note on Health, beauty and slimming marketing communications that refer to medical conditions – A help guide produced by Copy Advice featuring guidance on medical conditions that can be acceptably referred to in marketing communications and those that cannot. This document is also the original source of lists A and B.
- List B – Conditions for which evidence could be sought.
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