What does Virginia prohibit in med spa advertising?
Marketing · part of The Practice Perimeter
Short answer
The cited rules do not settle this — no rule lists permitted claims; they only bar Board licensees from false, misleading or deceptive ads and require claim support and, in group practices, the accountable practitioner's name kept two years.
Virginia is specific about the paperwork behind a claim. For a practice with more than one practitioner, the practitioner responsible for an advertisement must be documented and kept on record INTERNALLY by the practice, and the evidence supporting a claim must survive TWO YEARS of board review.
Drawn from 3 verified rules in this section · regulatory monitoring, not legal advice
- 18 Va. Admin. Code § 85-20-30 · Sep 2, 2026
- 18 Va. Admin. Code § 85-20-30 · Sep 2, 2026
- Va. Code § 59.1-203(A) · Sep 8, 2026
Related Virginia rules
No licensee of the Board shall advertise information that is false, misleading, or deceptive. For an advertisement for a single practitioner it is PRESUMED that the practitioner is responsible and accountable for the validity and truthfulness of its content — the presumption runs against the practitioner, not for them.
18 Va. Admin. Code § 85-20-30 · verified Sep 2, 2026
⚠️ a group practice must name an accountable person and keep the proof for two years. Where an advertisement is for a practice with more than one practitioner, THE NAME of the practitioner responsible and accountable for its content shall be documented and maintained by the practice FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS. And documentation, scientific and otherwise, supporting claims made in an advertisement shall be maintained and available for the board’s review for at least two years.
18 Va. Admin. Code § 85-20-30 · verified Sep 2, 2026
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