Effective Date: May 2026 | Last Updated: May 2026 SterlingMedicalCenter.org participates in affiliate marketing programs. This page provides a complete disclosure of affiliate relationships maintained by this publication, in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255) and related guidance on digital advertising disclosures.
What Is an Affiliate Relationship?
An affiliate relationship exists when a publisher — in this case, SterlingMedicalCenter.org — earns a commission when a reader clicks a link on the Site and subsequently completes a qualifying action (typically a purchase) on the merchant's website. The commission is paid by the merchant at no additional cost to the reader. The price you pay for any product or service accessed through an affiliate link on this Site is the same as if you had navigated directly to the merchant's website. The FTC requires that material connections between a publisher and the products or services it discusses be clearly disclosed to readers. This page, along with article-level disclosures on every piece of content containing affiliate links, fulfills that requirement.
Categories of Affiliate Relationships
SterlingMedicalCenter.org maintains affiliate relationships in the following product and service categories: Telehealth platforms: Weight management telehealth services, GLP-1 program providers, testosterone replacement therapy platforms, and other direct-to-consumer healthcare services reviewed on this Site may have affiliate programs through which this publication earns compensation when readers enroll or purchase through a linked URL. Dietary supplements: Supplement brands reviewed on this Site may have affiliate programs through direct merchant relationships or through affiliate networks. Where an affiliate relationship exists with a reviewed supplement, this is disclosed at the article level. Consumer health devices: Wearables, monitoring devices, and other consumer health technology products reviewed on this Site may carry affiliate relationships. Wellness programs: Structured weight management, metabolic health, and wellness programs reviewed on this Site may carry affiliate relationships. Not all products and platforms reviewed on this Site carry affiliate relationships. The SMC Research Desk reviews products and platforms regardless of whether an affiliate program exists.
What Affiliate Compensation Does Not Influence
The existence of an affiliate relationship does not determine which products are reviewed, does not influence editorial conclusions, and does not affect product ratings or assessments published on this Site. Specifically: affiliate relationships do not determine whether a review is positive or negative, whether a product is featured prominently or minimally, whether compliance or safety concerns are disclosed, or whether a product is recommended or cautioned against. Products with active affiliate programs have received unfavorable assessments on this Site. Products with no affiliate relationship have received favorable assessments. The SMC Research Desk's editorial standards are documented on the Editorial Standards page. Those standards apply equally to all reviewed products regardless of commercial relationship.
How Affiliate Links Are Identified
Affiliate links on this Site are identified through the following practices: Article-level disclosure: Every article containing affiliate links includes a disclosure statement at the top of the content, before any affiliate links appear. This disclosure states that the article contains affiliate links and that a commission may be earned if a purchase is made. Link behavior: Affiliate links may redirect through tracking URLs maintained by affiliate networks before reaching the merchant's website. This redirect is standard affiliate tracking practice and does not change the price you pay or the destination you are directed to. CTA language: Calls to action directing readers to merchant sites (such as “View the current offer”) may link to affiliate URLs.
Affiliate Networks and Programs
This Site may participate in affiliate programs operated by third-party affiliate networks as well as direct merchant affiliate programs. Affiliate network platforms may place their own cookies on your device when you click through an affiliate link, in accordance with their own privacy policies. This Site's Privacy Policy describes data practices related to third-party tracking in more detail.
No Endorsement of Specific Products
The presence of an affiliate link to a product or service on this Site does not constitute an endorsement of that product or service, nor a guarantee of its safety, efficacy, or suitability for any individual. All health-related purchasing decisions should be made in consultation with a qualified healthcare provider.
Questions
Questions about affiliate relationships on this Site may be submitted through the Contact page. SterlingMedicalCenter.org is an independent health research publication. Editorial conclusions are never influenced by affiliate compensation. Full methodology: Editorial Standards.