Healthcare and medicines

We're dedicated to following advertising regulations for healthcare and medicine, so we expect that ads and destinations follow appropriate laws and industry standards. Some healthcare-related content can’t be advertised at all, while others can only be advertised if the advertiser is certified with Google and targets only approved locations. Check local regulations for the locations that you want to target.

For most healthcare policies, if your ad campaign targets allowed locations and the domain is properly certified, your ad will be labelled 'Eligible (limited)' and can run in allowed locations.

Below are some examples of healthcare content that we allow in certain circumstances. Some content is only available in specific locations. Advertisers are expected to familiarise themselves with the local law and regulations for any location that their ads target. Learn about what happens if you violate our policies.

In this article

• Prescription drug services
• Restricted drug terms
• Pharmaceutical manufacturers
• Unauthorised pharmacies
• Unapproved substances
• Prescription opioid painkillers
• Speculative and experimental medical treatment, cell therapies and gene therapies
• Clinical trial recruitment
• Addiction services
• Abortion
• Birth control, fertility and testing
• HIV home tests
• Health insurance
• How does this policy differ from location to location?

Learn more about the 'Eligible (Limited)' status.

Restricted drug terms

In most parts of the world, Google doesn't allow the use of prescription drug terms in ad text, landing pages or keywords.

Some businesses may use prescription drug terms in ad text, landing pages or keywords with certification. Check the location-specific restrictions for every location where you plan to advertise.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers

Google allows pharmaceutical manufacturers to advertise prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines in select locations only.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers must be certified by Google in order to serve ads.

Unauthorised pharmacies 

The following isn't allowed:

Offering prescription drugs without a prescription

Targeting locations where you aren't licensed

Learn more about our Unauthorised pharmacies policy.

Unapproved substances

Google doesn't allow the promotion of certain content, regardless of any claims of legality:

• All items on this non-exhaustive list of unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements
• Products that contain ephedra
• Products containing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in relation to weight loss or weight control, or when promoted in conjunction with anabolic steroids
• Herbal and dietary supplements with active pharmaceutical or dangerous ingredients
• Products that imply that they're as effective as prescription drugs or controlled substances
• Non-government approved products that are marketed in a way that implies that they're safe or effective for use in preventing, curing or treating a particular disease or ailment
• Products that have been subject to any government or regulatory action or warning
• Products with names that are confusingly similar to an unapproved pharmaceutical or supplement or controlled substance
• DHEA products (except in campaigns targeting the United States)
• Melatonin products (except in campaigns targeting Canada and/or United States)

Prescription opioid painkillers

Google doesn't allow ads promoting or selling prescription opioid painkillers. This doesn't include medication-assisted treatment (MAT) drugs for opioid use disorder that meet all other requirements for prescription drugs listed on this page.

In limited cases, and where permitted by local law, Google allows exceptions to this policy for (a) public health and safety awareness campaigns from governmental or well-established non-profit health advocacy organisations, (b) ads for non-opioid pharmaceuticals that only refer to prescription opioids in their safety information, (c) certified addiction treatment providers in the United States and (d) verified election advertisers.

Learn more about our Prescription opioid painkillers policy.

Speculative and experimental medical treatment, cell therapies and gene therapies

Except as provided below in relation to the promotion of cell or gene therapies in the United States, the following isn't allowed:

Promotion of speculative and/or experimental medical treatments.

Promotion of cell or gene therapies, subject to the exception below.

In the United States, Google allows the promotion of FDA licensed or approved cell or gene therapies by entities that hold the relevant FDA licence or approval to market that product. If you'd like to apply for such an exception, please contact us.

Google allows ads for cell or gene therapies that are exclusively educational or informational in nature, regardless of regulatory approval status.

Clinical trial recruitment

Google doesn't allow the promotion of clinical trial recruitment in most locations. While promotion of clinical trial recruitment in some locations is allowed, the following restrictions apply:

• Prescription drugs may not be promoted.
• Promotions may not create misleading expectations or effects of a product being tested.
• Promotions may not imply that the products being tested are safe.

Addiction services

Google restricts the promotion of recovery-oriented drug and alcohol addiction services.

Advertisers targeting certain locations are able to promote recovery-oriented drug and alcohol addiction services if certified by Google. Promotion of services unrelated to drug and alcohol addiction, like services for impulse control disorders, behavioural addiction or nicotine addiction, are out of scope of this policy.

Abortion

Abortion ads aren't allowed in a number of locations and are subject to Google Ads network restrictions. In some locations, certification is required to run ads using queries related to getting an abortion. Restrictions and requirements for abortion ads vary by location.

In the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland, if you want to run ads using queries related to getting an abortion, you'll first need to be certified as an advertiser that either provides abortions or does not provide abortions.

If your ads target one or more locations where abortion ads aren't allowed, they'll be classified as Eligible (limited), meaning they'll only show in approved areas, and there may be additional restrictions for your location. Refer to the location-specific sections below for more information about how policies differ by location.

Learn more about our Abortion policy.

Birth control, fertility and testing

Google doesn't allow the promotion of products and services related to birth control, fertility and sexually transmitted infections (STI) in certain locations. Products and services subject to this policy include, but are not limited to, condoms, birth control pills, fertility testing, surrogacy services and STI testing.

HIV home tests

Google doesn't allow the promotion of HIV home tests in most locations.

Locations where the promotion of HIV home tests is allowed with restrictions:

• United States: Advertisers may promote HIV home tests that are FDA approved.
• France: Advertisers may promote HIV home tests that meet local regulatory requirements.
• The Netherlands: Advertisers may promote HIV home tests that meet local regulatory requirements.
• The United Kingdom: Advertisers may promote HIV home tests that meet local regulatory requirements.

Health insurance

In the United States, you must be certified by Google in order to advertise health and medical insurance coverage, with the exception of government advertisers, who will be pre-approved. Advertisements exclusively for dental, vision and/or travel health insurance coverage are not restricted.

How does this policy differ from location to location?

In addition to the content-based restrictions above, there may be further requirements based on the locations that your campaign targets. Choose a location below to see additional requirements that you must meet in order for your ad campaign to target that location.

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