What happens when an ad goes wrong

Most practices never hear from the Advertising Standards Authority until a complaint arrives. It might come from a patient, a competitor, or the ASA's own monitoring system, which scanned 60 million ads in 2025. Cosmetic treatments and weight-loss injections are among its stated priorities.

How it usually starts

You get an email from the ASA setting out the complaint and asking you to back up your claims with evidence, by a deadline. "Pain-free", "results in 60 minutes" or "save over £2,000" all need proof that holds for a typical patient, not just your best case.

If the complaint is upheld

• The ruling is published on the ASA website with your practice's name and the ad. It stays there, and it shows up when people search for you.
• The ad has to come down and can't run again in that form.
• In 2025, 22,383 ads were changed or withdrawn after ASA action.

If you don't put it right

• Your name is added to the ASA's list of non-compliant advertisers, which it works to push up search results.
• The ASA can ask Google to remove your paid search ads, and can run its own search ads naming your business.
• It can work with Facebook, Instagram and other platforms to have your content taken down.
• It can refer you to Trading Standards and other regulators.

Where it can go further

• Fines from the CMA. Since April 2025, the Competition and Markets Authority can fine businesses directly for misleading consumers, up to 10% of global turnover. Its first fine, £4.2 million in April 2026, was for a booking fee added only at checkout.
• Your registration. The GDC says misleading advertising can lead to a fitness to practise investigation, and can be a criminal offence.
• Prescription medicines. Advertising Botox and other prescription-only medicines to the public is illegal. The ASA refers repeat offenders to the MHRA.
• Finance offers. A monthly price in an ad usually counts as a credit advert under FCA rules, and needs a representative example next to it.

Most of it is a few words

Almost every issue we find is fixed by changing a line or two, or adding a qualifier. That's what our scan gives you: every ad and landing page checked, the rule behind each issue, and wording you can use straight away.

Sources: ASA sanctions, ASA online sanctions, ASA Annual Report 2025, GDC guidance on advertising, ASA enforcement notice on Botox, FCA Handbook CONC 3.5, CMA first DMCC fine (AA, 15 April 2026). Checked 21 October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.