Health and Medicine (Google Policy Document)

Health and Medicine (Google Policy Document)


INTRODUCTION

Google is dedicated to following advertising regulations for healthcare and medicine, they expect that ads and destinations adhere to appropriate laws and industry standards. Some healthcare-related material cannot be advertised at all. However, there are some exceptions where others can only be advertised if the advertiser is certified with Google and targets only approved countries. 
  
Note: Check local regulations for the areas that can be targeted. 
  
Below are some examples of healthcare content that Google allows in certain circumstances (some content is only available in specific regions). 

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers 

Pharmaceutical manufacturers may only advertise prescription drugs in the countries listed below: 
  1. Canada 
  2. New Zealand 
  3. United States 
Note: Pharmaceutical manufacturers are not permitted to promote prescription opioid painkillers. 
 

Over-the-counter medicines 

Pharmaceutical manufacturers may only advertise over-the-counter medicines in the countries listed below: 
  1. Australia 
  2. Austria 
  3. Brazil 
  4. Canada 
  5. China 
  6. Czech Republic 
  7. France 
  8. Germany 
  9. Hungary 
  10. Hong Kong 
  11. India 
  12. Italy 
  13. Japan 
  14. Kenya 
  15. Mexico 
  16. Netherlands 
  17. New Zealand 
  18. Norway 
  19. The Philippines 
  20. Poland 
  21. Portugal 
  22. Russia 
  23. Slovakia 
  24. South Korea 
  25. Spain 
  26. Sweden 
  27. United Kingdom 
  28. United States 

Other manufacturers and suppliers:

Medical professional suppliers, bulk drug manufacturers, and antibody/peptide/compound suppliers for commercial labs may only advertise in the countries listed below: 
  1. Canada 
  2. United States 

Certification 

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

Unauthorized Pharmacies:

The following is not permitted: 
  1. Offering prescription drugs without a prescription 
  2. Targeting locations where you are not licensed 
 
Note: If Google finds violations of this policy, they will suspend the pharmaceutical manufacturer's Google Ads account upon detection and without prior warning, and they will not be allowed to advertise with Google again. 

Prescription drug sale 

Google restricts the promotion of online pharmacies. For Google to determine whether an advertiser is promoting an online pharmacy, they consider several variables such as the content of the ads and site or app, as well as the services and products being offered. 
 
Countries:  
Google only allows the promotion of online pharmacies in the following countries: 
  1. Australia 
  2. Brazil 
  3. Canada 
  4. China 
  5. Czech Republic 
  6. Denmark 
  7. Germany  
  8. Hong Kong 
  9. Israel 
  10. Japan 
  11. Kenya 
  12. Mexico 
  13. Netherlands 
  14. New Zealand 
  15. Norway 
  16. Portugal 
  17. Russia 
  18. Slovakia 
  19. Sweden 
  20. Taiwan 
  21. United Kingdom 
  22. United States 

 Keywords:  

Only the following countries are permitted by Google to bid on keywords containing prescription drug terms. The list of countries is included below: 
  1. Australia 
  2. Austria 
  3. Canada 
  4. Czechia 
  5. Denmark 
  6. Germany 
  7. Israel 
  8. Japan 
  9. Kenya  
  10. New Zealand 
  11. Netherlands 
  12. Norway 
  13. Portugal 
  14. Slovakia 
  15. United Kingdom 
  16. United States 
Certification 
 
Google must certify online pharmacies for them to serve ads. To be certified by Google, online pharmacies must be registered with the relevant pharmaceutical authorities in the countries that their ad campaign targets. 
 

Restricted Drug Terms:  

In most territories, Google does not allow the use of prescription drug terms in ad text, landing pages, keywords, or source code of a webpage. 
 
For campaigns targeting Canada, New Zealand, or the United States, certain businesses such as online pharmacies and pharmaceutical manufacturers may use prescription drug terms in ad text and landing pages. These businesses must be certified by Google to serve ads. 
 
In limited cases, and where permitted by local law, Google allows exceptions to this policy for public health and safety awareness campaigns from governmental or well-established non-profit health advocacy organizations. If pharmaceutical companies are interested in applying for an exception to use prescription drug terms in ad text, landing pages, keywords, or source code of a webpage, they would be required to contact Google directly. 
 

Unapproved Substances:

Google does not allow the promotion of the following content, irrespective of any claims and legality:
  1. Products that contain ephedra. 
  2. Products containing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in relation to weight loss or weight control, or when promoted in conjunction with anabolic steroids. 
  3. Dietary and herbal supplements with active pharmaceutical or dangerous ingredients. 
  4. Products that insinuate that they are as effective as prescription drugs or controlled substances. 
  5. Nongovernment approved products that are marketed in a way that implies that they are safe or effective for use in preventing, curing, or treating a particular disease or ailment. 
  6. Products that have been subject to any government or regulatory action or warning. 
  7. Products with names that are confusingly similar to an unapproved pharmaceutical or supplement or controlled substance.

Prescription Opioid Painkillers: 

Google does not allow ads for prescription opioid painkillers except for those that are intended for use as a medication-assisted treatment (MAT) or opioid use disorder and meet all other requirements pertaining to prescription drugs 
listed in this document. 
 
In limited cases, and where permitted by local law, Google will allow exceptions to this policy for the following 
reasons: 
  1. Safety awareness and public health campaign from government and well-established non-profit health advocacy organizations. 
  2. Advertising for non-opioid pharmaceuticals that only refer to prescription opioids in their safety information. 
  3. Certified addition treatment providers in the United States. 
Note: If these policies are violated, a warning will be issued at least 7 days prior to the suspension of the account.
 

Speculative and experimental medical treatment, cell therapies, and gene therapies 

The following is not allowed: 
  1. Promotion of speculative and/or experimental medical treatments. E.g., (non-exhaustive): Biohacking, do-it- yourself (DIY) genetic engineering products, gene therapy kits. 
  2. Promotion of cell of gene therapies, regardless or regulatory approval status. E.g., (nonexhaustive): Stem cell therapy, cellular (non-stem) therapy, gene therapy and similar forms of regenerative medicine, platelet rich plasma.
Note: If these policies are violated, a warning will be issued at least 7 days prior to the suspension of the account. 
 

 

Clinical Trial Recruitment:

Google does not permit the promotion of clinical trial recruitment, however the following countries are an exception:
  1. Australia
  2. Belgium
  3. Canada
  4. China
  5. France
  6. Germany
  7. Indonesia
  8. Israel
  9. Italy
  10. Japan
  11. Korea
  12. Malaysia
  13. Netherlands
  14. New Zealand
  15. Philippines
  16. Singapore
  17. Taiwan
  18. Thailand
  19. United Kingdom
  20. United States
  21. Vietnam 

Note: The promotion of clinical trial recruitment is not permitted to promote prescription drugs or create misleading expectations 
or effects of a product being tested, or imply that the product being tested is safe. 

 

HIV Home Test:

Google forbids the promotion of HIV home tests everywhere in the world, except the following: 
  1. United States (advertisers may promote home HIV tests that are FDA approved) 
  2. France (advertisers may promote home HIV tests that meet local regulatory requirements) 
  3. The Netherlands (advertisers may promote home HIV tests that meet local regulatory requirements) 
  4. The United Kingdom (advertisers may promote home HIV tests that meet local regulatory requirements) 

Birth Control 

Google does not permit the advertising of birth control or fertility products in the following countries: 
  1. Bahrain 
  2. China 
  3. Djibouti 
  4. Egypt 
  5. Hong Kong 
  6. Iran 
  7. Iraq 
  8. Jordan 
  9. Kuwait 
  10. Malaysia 
  11. Lebanon 
  12. Libya 
  13. Malaysia
  14. Morocco 
  15. Oman 
  16. Palestinian Territory 
  17. Qatar 
  18. Saudi Arabia 
  19. Syria Thailand 
  20. Tunisia 
  21. Ukraine 
  22. United Arab Emirates 
  23. Yemen 

Addiction Services  

 Googles restricts advertising for recovery-oriented drug and alcohol addiction services. 
Google only allows advertising for addiction services in the following countries: 
  1. Australia 
  2. Ireland 
  3. New Zealand 
  4. The United States 
KeyWords 
 Google only allows addiction services advertisers to bid on keywords relating to drug and alcohol addiction. 
 
Certification  
 Addiction services advertisers must be certified by Google in order to serve ads. 

Health Insurance  

Advertisers must be certified by Google to promote health and medical insurance coverage in the United States, 
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. 
 
Health and medical insurance advertisers, other than government advertisers, must be certified by Google in order 
to serve ads in the United States. This certification is required for all ad formats and extensions. 
 

Apply for healthcare products and services certification: Apply for healthcare-related advertising - Google Ads Help 


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