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Magnets

Magnets marketed with medical claims are considered to be medical devices because they are promoted to treat a medical condition or to affect the structure or function of the body. The law requires that manufacturers of medical devices, including magnets intended for medical use, obtain marketing clearance for their products from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before they may offer them for sale. This helps protect the public health by ensuring that new medical devices are shown to be either safe and effective or substantially equivalent to other devices already legally marketed in this country.

To date, the FDA has not cleared for marketing any magnets promoted for medical uses. Because these devices do not have marketing clearance, they are in violation of the law, and are subject to regulatory action. Action is taken on a case by case basis depending on the significance of the medical claims being made. Significant claims that are likely to trigger regulatory action include, but are not limited to, treatment of cancer, HIV, AIDS, asthma, arthritis, and rheumatism.