11/13/2024    Keith l. Gurnick, DPM

False Advertising of Custom Orthotics

An accurate definition of the word "custom" (as an
adjective) is something made to unique
specifications, especially something one of a kind.
It's synonym is "custom-made". A definition of
"custom-made" is something made for a specific or a
particular person or individual. A definition of a
"specific or particular person" is of or relating
to a single or specific person, rather than to
others or all. There are numerous definitions of
the word "orthotic".

Here are examples of some of them: An orthotic is
an orthopedic appliance designed to straighten or
support a body part. Another is a device or brace
to control, correct, or compensate for a bone
deformity. Still another I found is a shoe insert
designed to improve posture improve function and
prevent injury. I am certain our readers can find
many more in the literature.

Combine all of these and I came up with the
following description for a custom orthotic. It
should be an orthopedic appliance, uniquely made
for only one specific individual and must be a shoe
insert designed to improve posture, prevent injury
and support or straighten a body part and improve
function.

Now, as we all should do, when I add the additional
adjective "prescription" directly in front of
custom orthotic, then we have further made the
criterion more specific, because the definition of
a "prescription" includes a direction, usually
written, by the health care provider for the
preparation and use of the orthotic.

In conclusion, a "prescription custom orthotic",
requires a prescription and is uniquely anufactured
for one individual only. If you can't write a
prescription, than you certainly can't offer a
prescription custom orthotic and if you do, that
would certainly be false advertising.

Let the profession of podiatry stop comparing what
we make, which is a true prescription custom foot
orthotic to everything else out there that tries to
be, but often falls short of what we as podiatrists
are trained to do for our patients. We should, and
must be better for our patients, regardless of what
others try to call those other devices that they
sell, by blurring the truth through deceptive
promotion and advertising direct to the public
where loopholes exist in some state laws that allow
this deceptive practice to exist.

Keith l. Gurnick, DPM, Los Angeles, CA

There are no more messages in this thread.