Important: MeridianMedicalCentre.com is an independent consumer health research publication — not a medical practice or healthcare provider. Content on this site is educational and informational only. See our Medical Disclaimer.
The health and wellness industry is built on information asymmetry. Brands know exactly what their marketing language is designed to make you believe. Most consumers do not have the background to interrogate it.
These guides exist to close that gap. They cover how to evaluate health products, read supplement labels, identify misleading marketing claims, and assess telehealth platforms before you enroll. Unlike our investigation reports — which focus on specific products — these guides give you the frameworks to evaluate any product you encounter, whether we have reviewed it or not.
What These Guides Cover
Label Reading. How to read a supplement facts panel. What proprietary blends mean for dose transparency. How to tell whether a product contains a clinically studied amount of its key ingredients. What third-party certifications actually verify — and what they do not.
Marketing Language. What “clinically studied,” “doctor recommended,” “FDA registered,” “third-party tested,” and “science-backed” actually mean under regulatory standards — and what brands are not required to prove when they use those phrases. How to distinguish a structure/function claim from a disease claim, and why that distinction matters.
Telehealth Evaluation. How to assess an online health platform before enrolling. What to look for in prescriber licensing disclosures, pharmacy sourcing, pricing transparency, cancellation terms, and compounding medication disclosures. The red flags that indicate a platform is optimized for conversion rather than clinical rigor.
Regulatory Context. How the FDA regulates dietary supplements under DSHEA compared to prescription drugs. The difference between an FDA-approved medication and a compounded preparation. How the FTC evaluates health claims in advertising. What a warning letter means — and what it does not mean for a brand's other products.
How to Use These Guides
These guides are reference documents. Read them once and you will approach supplement labels, telehealth enrollment pages, and wellness marketing with sharper eyes. They are not product recommendations and they are not medical advice — they are tools for making more informed consumer decisions.
When a guide covers a topic in frameworks, our Investigation Reports show those frameworks applied to specific products. When a guide explains how to evaluate a telehealth platform, our Telehealth Check section shows that evaluation in practice. When a guide covers ingredient evidence standards, The Evidence File provides the underlying ingredient research.
MeridianMedicalCentre.com is operated by MMC Research & Review. Not affiliated with Meridian Health Group or any medical clinic. For Meridian Health Group's clinics in Kenya, visit mhg.co.ke.