Draft Guideline on Health Statement (“Draft Guideline”) has been published on 20 June 2022, which has been prepared by the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Office (“Office”).
It has been stated that the opinions on the Draft Guideline should be sent to bdud.saglikbeyani@titck.gov.tr by the end of 1 August 2022 in accordance with the Opinion Table format provided in the mentioned announcement.
The Draft Guideline has been prepared to determine the procedures and principles regarding the use of health statements in the products offered to the last consumer in order to protect the consumer at highest level.
The main noted related to main arrangements within the scope of the Draft Guideline are as follows:
- The health statements used in labeling, promotion and advertisement of foods presented to the market must not mislead, cause doubt or concern and should be clear and understandable for the average consumers.
- Synonym phrases that do not change or strengthen the meaning can be used instead of health statements. Accordingly, phrases that can and cannot be used have been exemplified.
- Trademarks, trade names or label images can include health statements as long as they are related and limited with the declared health statement.
- Label, promotion, and advertisement images that can be interpreted as health declarations can be used if the food in question meets the declaration condition.
- Abbreviated expressions can be used in health statements on product labels, as long as the meaning of the statement does not change or strengthens, and the statement is written in its full form.
- Statements that suggest that health may be adversely affected if the product is not consumed, that refer to the amount or rate of weight loss or gain, or that refer to recommendations of health professionals cannot be included in health statements.
- In applications for new health statements, upon the request of the applicant, the Institution may provide data protection by limiting the use of a registered health statement for five years for the benefit of the applicant. In this case, the next applicant will not be able to reference the earlier registration before the five-year period expires and the mentioned health statement is included in the Draft Guideline annex.
Please see this link for the full text of the Draft Guideline published by the Ministry of Heath on the date of 20 June 2022 (only available in Turkish).
