The Law Says "Just the Facts." The Ad Says "Doctor Approved."

—The commercial use of medical authority in digital advertising

Under Korean law, advertisements may state that a medical professional participated in the development of a food or dietary supplement, but they may not present that professional as recommending or endorsing the product.

In digital advertising, however, the distinction is not always so clear. A doctor in a white coat, placed alongside carefully framed health claims, can make a factual statement of participation function as an implicit endorsement.

Drawing on Korean advertising law, court decisions, and research on consumer persuasion, this presentation examines the mechanisms through which factual disclosure of a medical professional’s participation can function as commercial persuasion in digital advertising. It also proposes a regulatory framework that links professional accountability to the nature and extent of the professional’s actual involvement.

I will be presenting this research at the 2026 WAML Congress in Antwerp, Belgium.

A preview of the presentation slides is available below.

Slides are available via the Download button below.