Dietary Supplements. How Products Masquerading as Medications are Sold

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Tribulus terrestris, black cohosh, saw palmetto – these are just a few of the mysterious herbal ingredients found in popular supplements for erectile dysfunction, menopause, and prostate health. They are in tablets and capsules that resemble medications but have different properties and names.

These are dietary supplements – food products intended to supplement the regular diet, providing concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals, or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect. They do not cure. However, their visual similarity to medications and omnipresent advertising make them sell like hotcakes.

• In 2020, the dietary supplement market in Poland was estimated to be worth 5 billion PLN.
• In comparison, in 2011, sales reached 3 billion PLN, increased to 3.5 billion PLN in 2015, and surpassed 4 billion PLN in 2017.
• According to data from December 2019, published by Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, 72% of Poles declare consuming dietary supplements, and even more – 86% – believe these products are beneficial.

Consumers often don’t realize that to bring a dietary supplement to market, it’s only necessary to notify the Main Sanitary Inspectorate and submit the label design to be placed on the product. There is no requirement to present tests for these products, and unlike medications, their advertising is much easier, as it is regulated by food laws, not strict Pharmaceutical Law. What does this mean? The composition of dietary supplements may not always match what is declared on the label.


On January 8, 2020, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna cited results from a study by the National Medicines Institute, which found that after analyzing 50 of the most popular dietary supplements, 25% of them had compositions that did not match their claims. The study’s poorest results were in supplements containing vitamins and herbal ingredients.

Does such information harm the image of dietary supplements? It seems not. We don’t know the names of these products or which manufacturers to avoid. Meanwhile, turning on the TV, listening to the radio, or browsing social media, we still encounter omnipresent supplement ads and buy new releases. One pharmaceutical market expert, Prof. Zbigniew Fijałek, former director of the National Medicines Institute from 2005-2015, even believes that Poland has a particular problem with dietary supplement advertising. He states that advertisements have long crossed the line in their manipulative messaging, and it will be difficult for the industry to return to normal when such ethically questionable advertising has proven so effective.

Will anything change in the coming year? On December 1, new self-regulation standards were introduced, defining standards for television advertising of dietary supplements, signed by major TV stations and associations of dietary supplement manufacturers. As of January 1, 2020, all new supplement ads are aired under new rules. One of the most important points in the signed agreement requires the following message to be included in TV ads:

“Dietary supplement. Contains ingredients that support bodily functions by supplementing the normal diet. It has no medicinal properties.”

In addition, dietary supplement advertising must not mislead consumers, cannot air immediately before or after children’s programs, nor be directed at children. Furthermore, supplement ads cannot feature images or endorsements from individuals who represent or may be perceived as representing medical professions (doctor, nurse, etc.).

Will these restrictions benefit consumers? Will they help distinguish supplements from medications? The coming year will likely reveal if these changes in dietary supplement advertising standards will increase consumer awareness and influence their behavior.

Medical Devices Are Not Just Bandages but Also Popular Throat Lozenges

Another intriguing category of products resembling medications even more closely than dietary supplements are medical devices. These receive the least attention in media. This peculiar category, long associated primarily with bandages and minor medical equipment, includes countless products that neither cure nor supplement the diet but may only aid in treatment.


Their market entry is regulated by the Medical Devices Act, which does not contain provisions on advertising. While they must be registered with the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products, the process is simpler and cheaper than for a medicinal product.

For years, companies have exploited the lack of advertising regulations for medical devices, enticing us with drops, sprays, lozenges, and granules, attributing to them medicinal properties they don’t possess. Moreover, unlike medications, medical devices can be endorsed by well-known public figures or people with medical qualifications! In this way, consumers are easily “sold a bill of goods,” believing they are buying an effective treatment when, in fact, they are purchasing a medical device posing as a drug.

In July 2018, the pharmaceutical portal GdziePoLek published an insightful analysis of radio ads for OTC medications, dietary supplements, and medical devices. Twenty-one ads aired over two hours on ten radio stations were analyzed, revealing:

• only two ads were for OTC medications,
• ten were for dietary supplements,
• and as many as nine were for medical devices.

Such a high number of medical device ads was surprising to many, as these products do not hold a prominent place in consumer awareness. Medical devices mimic either medications or dietary supplements. While their ads may state they are medical devices, they often reference ailments and doctor recommendations for sore throats or ear infections, promoting the product.

Interestingly, there is little discussion of medical device advertising, and it’s unclear which devices mimic medications, leaving consumers believing they’re purchasing an OTC medication when they’re often buying a medical device. While much has been written about dietary supplements and their advertising, medical device advertising faces no substantial criticism. We would search in vain for data on the growth of the medical devices market that mimic medications or how much consumers spend on products that, like dietary supplements, do not have medicinal properties.

Will anything change in this area next year? It seems so. In November 2019, a new Medical Devices Act was put up for public consultation, containing a chapter on the advertising of these products. The changes were mandated by the EU to align Polish law with EU regulations.


The proposed advertising rules for medical devices represent a true revolution in our market. These regulations are expected to introduce, among other things, a ban on targeting such ads at children, a ban on using images of well-known public figures or individuals with medical education. Hopefully, the new regulations will curb the “wild west” of medical device advertising and help consumers recognize that these products do not cure diseases and are neither medications nor dietary supplements.

New Dietary Supplement Advertisements

New advertisements for dietary supplements have already appeared on TV. They now include the statement “Dietary supplement. Contains ingredients that support bodily functions by supplementing the normal diet. It has no medicinal properties.” However, it’s necessary to be very attentive, as this statement appears at different times—sometimes at the beginning of the ad, sometimes in the middle, and it often disappears quickly.

In conclusion, I would add just one thing: don’t use dietary supplements or medical devices on your own. Consult specialists, read reliable articles, and use objective sources of information on medications, dietary supplements, and medical devices. In my next article, I will discuss where to find reliable information and how to navigate the maze of advertising messages.