Advertising Policy

Effective Date: Updated September 9, 2009

At HealthCentral, our mission is to provide you with the best, most relevant information you can use right now to manage your health or specific condition. We accept advertising on the site to support our mission. This policy has been established by HealthCentral to govern advertising on its websites, including HealthCentral's acceptance of advertisements and how advertisements are displayed on and removed from HealthCentral sites. For these purposes, "Advertising and Advertisements" mean all forms of advertising and sponsorships for which HealthCentral receives compensation, including banner, badge, and contextual advertising, sponsored content, and promotions.

1. HealthCentral has sole discretion to determine the types of Advertising that will be accepted and displayed on HealthCentral sites. HealthCentral does not review or endorse any products or services that are advertised on its sites. In no event shall HealthCentral's acceptance of any Advertisement be considered an endorsement of the product or service advertised or for the company that manufactures, distributes, or promotes such product or service.

2. HealthCentral will not accept Advertising that, in HealthCentral's opinion, is not factually accurate. In addition, Advertising must not contain false or misleading claims, or offensive material, including material that misrepresents, ridicules, or attacks an individual or group on the basis of age, color, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or handicap.

3. HealthCentral will not accept Advertising related to any of the following: alcohol, firearms, ammunition, fireworks, gambling, pornography, tobacco, or the simulation of news or an emergency event. Advertising also must not promote products that are illegal or whose distribution would violate the law, advocate a political, religious or controversial public position or candidate for public office, make health claims that are not adequately substantiated.

4. HealthCentral maintains a distinct separation between Advertising and editorial content. All on HealthCentral sites shall be clearly and unambiguously identified as such, and HealthCentral will not accept any Advertising on HealthCentral sites that is not so identified. Clicking on the ad will link to an advertiser's site. HealthCentral is not responsible for the content on the advertiser's site.

5. From time to time, HealthCentral may create special advertorial sections of its websites, consisting of content from its advertisers. Content that is created, provided or influenced by an advertiser on any HealthCentral site is clearly and unambiguously identified as "From Our Sponsor" or "Provided By" the advertiser. Such advertiser content is not subject to editorial review by HealthCentral. Any content in these areas that HealthCentral provides is clearly identified as such and is created and editorially reviewed by HealthCentral and is not reviewed or influenced by advertisers.

6. From time to time, HealthCentral's advertisers contract with it to sponsor certain targeted sections of its websites. Content in such sections will be labeled as "Brought to You By" or "Funded By" the advertiser. Such content is created and editorially reviewed by HealthCentral and is not reviewed or influenced by advertisers. Such sponsored pages are clearly and unambiguously identified as such.

Click on the following image to see a full size example

7. HealthCentral reserves the right to reject, cancel, or remove at any time any Advertising from the HealthCentral Site for any reason and will provide prompt notice to the advertiser upon rejection, cancellation, or removal of any Advertising. HealthCentral also reserves the right to determine the appropriate placement of the Advertising on the HealthCentral sites.

8. It is the responsibility of the Advertiser to comply with all applicable domestic and foreign laws, including pharmaceutical advertising that must be in compliance with FDA guidelines for Direct to Physician (DTP) and Direct to Consumer (DTC) advertising as well as underwritten CME programs that must be labeled in accordance with the guidelines of the Accrediting Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and any other relevant accrediting bodies. HealthCentral assumes no obligation to monitor its advertisers' compliance with applicable laws and regulations; however, if HealthCentral becomes aware of any breach or potential breach of any applicable law or regulation or of these guidelines, HealthCentral may remove the Advertising.

9. No Advertising shall be permitted which may injure the good name or reputation of HealthCentral or HealthCentral sites.

HealthCentral has sole discretion with respect to interpretation of this policy and all other issues associated with Advertising on HealthCentral Web sites. HealthCentral may change this policy at any time in its sole discretion. If HealthCentral makes changes to this policy, the updates will be posted here. This policy's effective date will be identified at the top of the page.