§ 21-31-19. False advertising.
(a) An advertisement of a food, drug, device, or cosmetic shall be deemed to be false if it is false or misleading in any particular.
(b) For the purpose of this chapter the advertisement of a drug or device representing it to have any effect in albuminuria, appendicitis, arteriosclerosis, blood poison, bone disease, Bright’s disease, cancer, carbuncles, cholecystitis, diabetes, diphtheria, dropsy, erysipelas, gallstones, heart and vascular diseases, high blood pressure, mastoiditis, measles, meningitis, mumps, nephritis, otitis media, paralysis, pneumonia, poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis), prostate gland disorders, pyelitis, scarlet fever, sexual impotence, sinus infection, smallpox, tuberculosis, tumors, typhoid, uremia, or venereal disease shall also be deemed to be false, except that no advertisement not in violation of subsection (a) of this section shall be deemed to be false under this subsection if it is disseminated only to members of the medical, dental, or veterinary professions, or appears only in the scientific periodicals of these professions, or is disseminated only for the purpose of public health education by persons not commercially interested, directly or indirectly, in the sale of the drugs or devices; provided, that whenever the director of health determines that an advance in medical science has made any type of self-medication safe as to any of the diseases named in this subsection, the director of health shall by regulation authorize the advertisement of drugs having curative or therapeutic effect for that disease, subject to any conditions and restrictions that the director of health may deem necessary in the interests of public health; provided, that this subsection shall not be construed as indicating that self-medication for diseases other than those named in this section is safe and efficacious.
History of Section.P.L. 1959, § 1.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 21-31 - Rhode Island Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics Act
Section 21-31-1. - Short title.
Section 21-31-2. - Definitions.
Section 21-31-3. - Prohibited acts.
Section 21-31-4. - Injunctions authorized.
Section 21-31-5. - Violations of chapter — Penalty — Exceptions.
Section 21-31-6. - Embargoed articles — Condemnation and destruction.
Section 21-31-7. - Violations reported to attorney general — Notice and hearing on violation.
Section 21-31-8. - Notice of minor violations — Warnings.
Section 21-31-9. - Promulgation of reasonable standards by director.
Section 21-31-10. - Adulterated food.
Section 21-31-11. - Misbranded food.
Section 21-31-12. - Contamination of food with microorganisms — Suspension of permit — Inspection.
Section 21-31-13. - Poisonous or deleterious substance — Regulations as to use.
Section 21-31-14. - Adulterated drug or device.
Section 21-31-15. - Misbranded drug or device.
Section 21-31-16. - Sale of new drugs — Regulations and procedure — Exceptions.
Section 21-31-16.1. - Substitution of generic drugs and biological products.
Section 21-31-17. - Adulterated cosmetics.
Section 21-31-18. - Misbranded cosmetics.
Section 21-31-19. - False advertising.
Section 21-31-20. - Regulations promulgated by director — Hearing — Notice.
Section 21-31-21. - Inspection of establishments.