11 Amazon Ads policy rules bear on clinics and medical practices

Platform rules are about ad approval and account risk, not law, and policies change. These are the Amazon Ads rules whose wording is about licensed practitioners, boards and clinics. They run when Amazon Ads is selected in the checker.

1. CG-PLT-001 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   Meta bars ads that assert or imply the viewer's physical or mental health, including medical conditions, for example "Do you have diabetes?". Nextdoor, X, Amazon and Taboola bar the same move (asserting knowledge of a viewer's health, speaking directly to the customer about a condition or weight). This is platform policy, not law, and an ad can be rejected or an account restricted.

   Source: Meta Advertising Standards, Personal attributes; Nextdoor Ads Policy (advertisement targeting, personal attributes); X Ads targeting of sensitive categories policy; Amazon Ads sponsored ads policies; Taboola Health Supplement Advertising Guidelines

   Safer wording: Address the topic, not the viewer. Say "Depression affects many adults. Talk to a clinician." instead of "Are you struggling with depression?".

   Meta Advertising Standards, Personal attributes, X Ads targeting of sensitive categories policy, Amazon Ads sponsored ads policies, Taboola Health Supplement Advertising Guidelines, Nextdoor Ads Policy

2. CG-PLT-008 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   Pinterest does not allow ads for clinical trial recruitment. Google does not allow them in most locations. Microsoft Advertising and Amazon Ads list clinical trials and trial recruitment as prohibited. X, Nextdoor and Reddit allow them only with conditions (X prior authorization, no misleading expectations or claims of safety, registration on ClinicalTrials.gov and IRB oversight).

   Source: Pinterest Advertising Guidelines (healthcare products and services); Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy (clinical trial recruitment); Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; Amazon Ads Healthcare products and services policy; X Ads healthcare policy; Nextdoor Ads Policy; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy

   Safer wording: Send people to the registry listing or the sponsor site instead of buying a platform ad, or check the platform and location rules and any IRB approval first.

   Nextdoor Ads Policy, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy, Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy, Amazon Ads Healthcare products and services policy, Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy, Pinterest Advertising Guidelines, X Ads healthcare policy

3. CG-PLT-011 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   A named prescription drug in an ad triggers advance approval on most platforms. Pinterest allows prescription drug ads only with prior permission and GLP-1 ads only from approved healthcare advertisers in the US and Canada, Snap requires prescription advertisers to be pre-approved, and TikTok requires proof of regulator approval and 18+ targeting in the US. Meta requires LegitScript certification or its own review, Meta authorization, a licensed-professional disclaimer and 18+ targeting in the US, Canada or New Zealand. LinkedIn requires prior authorization, US or Canada only, no under-18 targeting. Reddit, X, Microsoft, Amazon and Nextdoor require pre-approval, a sales representative or case-by-case review, and Yahoo accepts FDA-approved prescription drug ads in the US only.

   Source: Pinterest Advertising Guidelines (healthcare products and services, weight loss products and services); Snap Ads Category Requirements, Health (prescription medicines); TikTok Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals ad policy (United States, prescription medicine); Meta Advertising Standards, Drugs and pharmaceuticals; LinkedIn Advertising Policies; X Ads healthcare policy; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; Amazon Ads Healthcare products and services policy; Nextdoor Ads Policy; Yahoo Ad Policy, Prescription drugs; Spotify Advertising Policies

   Safer wording: Get the platform's written approval first, then run the ad only on the platform that approved it, with the approved audience and age limits. Otherwise advertise the clinical service without naming the drug.

   Meta Advertising Standards, Drugs and pharmaceuticals, Nextdoor Ads Policy, Yahoo Ad Policy, Prescription drugs, Spotify Advertising Policies, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy, Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy, Amazon Ads Healthcare products and services policy, TikTok Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals ad policy, Snap Ads Category Requirements, Health, Pinterest Advertising Guidelines, LinkedIn Advertising Policies, X Ads healthcare policy

4. CG-PLT-013 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   Pinterest does not allow claims regarding the prevention or cure of disease, and Google does not allow non-approved products marketed as safe or effective for preventing, curing or treating a particular disease. Meta bars claims to cure, heal or eliminate incurable diseases (diabetes, herpes, thyroid conditions, psoriasis, cancer, autism, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, HIV and others), even from health professionals. Reddit, Amazon, Outbrain, Nextdoor, Apple and Taboola bar implying that a product or supplement diagnoses, prevents or cures disease.

   Source: Pinterest Advertising Guidelines (healthcare products and services); Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy (unapproved substances); Meta Advertising Standards, Unrealistic outcomes; Meta Advertising Standards, Health and wellness; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy; Amazon Ads Claims and substantiation policy; Outbrain Advertising Guidelines; Nextdoor Ads Policy; Apple Advertising Services policies; Taboola Health Supplement Advertising Guidelines

   Safer wording: Say what the service does ("screening", "education", "treatment plans reviewed by a clinician") and leave out prevent, cure and reverse.

   Meta Advertising Standards, Unrealistic outcomes, Meta Advertising Standards, Health and wellness, Taboola Health Supplement Advertising Guidelines, Outbrain Advertising Guidelines, Nextdoor Ads Policy, Apple Advertising Services policies, Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy, Amazon Ads Claims and substantiation policy, Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy, Pinterest Advertising Guidelines

5. CG-PLT-015 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   Snap does not allow ads that promote weight-loss supplements, and Pinterest does not allow weight loss or appetite suppressant pills, supplements or products claiming weight loss through something worn or applied to the skin. Amazon Ads prohibits fat burners and similar products that claim to increase metabolism or suppress appetite.

   Source: Snap Ads Category Requirements, Health (health and dietary supplements); Pinterest Advertising Guidelines (weight loss products and services); Amazon Ads sponsored ads policies

   Safer wording: Advertise the clinical service, not the supplement, or move to a platform whose policy allows the product with approval.

   Amazon Ads sponsored ads policies, Snap Ads Category Requirements, Health, Pinterest Advertising Guidelines

6. CG-PLT-016 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   Pinterest bars before-and-after weight-loss imagery and Snap bars before-and-after pictures in diet, fitness and dietary supplement ads. Meta lists a before-and-after weight loss image as non-compliant, and Reddit, Amazon, Nextdoor and Outbrain bar before-and-after photos in weight loss, supplement or cosmetic ads. Microsoft, Taboola and Yahoo allow them only if realistic and honest about the time taken. The same wording also draws FTC attention to typical results.

   Source: Pinterest Advertising Guidelines (weight loss products and services); Snap Ads Category Requirements, Health (health and dietary supplements, diet and fitness); Meta Advertising Standards, Personal health and appearance; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy; Amazon Ads Claims and substantiation policy; Nextdoor Ads Policy; Outbrain Advertising Guidelines; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; Taboola Policy FAQ health and beauty; Yahoo Ad Policy, Over the counter drugs

   Safer wording: Remove the before-and-after pairing and show the clinic, the clinician or the process instead.

   Meta Advertising Standards, Personal health and appearance, Taboola Policy FAQ health and beauty, Outbrain Advertising Guidelines, Nextdoor Ads Policy, Yahoo Ad Policy, Over the counter drugs, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy, Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy, Amazon Ads Claims and substantiation policy, Snap Ads Category Requirements, Health, Pinterest Advertising Guidelines

7. CG-PLT-018 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   Google does not allow claims that entice the user with an improbable result as the likely outcome, and YouTube ads may not carry exaggerated or inaccurate claims. Meta bars claims of unrealistic results within specific timeframes. Microsoft, Amazon and Taboola bar a specific amount or rate of weight loss in a defined period.

   Source: Google Ads Misrepresentation policy (unreliable claims); YouTube and Discover Feed ad requirements (exaggerated or inaccurate claims); Meta Advertising Standards, Unrealistic outcomes; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; Amazon Ads Claims and substantiation policy; Taboola Policy FAQ health and beauty; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy

   Safer wording: Drop the timeframe and the number. Describe the service and what a clinician will assess.

   Meta Advertising Standards, Unrealistic outcomes, Taboola Policy FAQ health and beauty, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy, Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy, Amazon Ads Claims and substantiation policy, Google Ads Misrepresentation policy, YouTube and Discover Feed ad requirements

8. CG-PLT-019 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   Health is a sensitive interest category on Google. Advertisers in it cannot use advertiser-curated audiences, which include customer match, your data segments, audience expansion and lookalike segments. Meta's Business Tools Terms bar sharing health information and say the names and criteria of custom audiences must not reflect or imply it. Amazon prohibits audiences built from purchases or views of healthcare products and from advertiser data. Targeting by health status can also turn a visit to a clinic site into a disclosure of health information.

   Source: Google Ads Restricted targeting in personalized advertising policy (sensitive interest categories, health); Meta Business Tools Terms (Business Tool Data); Amazon Ads Healthcare products and services policy

   Safer wording: Use contextual or predefined audiences for health offers. Do not build segments from patient lists or condition pages.

   Meta Business Tools Terms, Amazon Ads Healthcare products and services policy, Google Ads Restricted targeting in personalized advertising policy

9. CG-PLT-020 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   Telehealth and telemedicine ads are gated. Google allows telemedicine providers only with LegitScript certification plus Google certification, and Meta requires telehealth providers that promote prescription drugs to be LegitScript certified and authorized. LinkedIn allows telehealth only in the United States with prior authorization, X allows licensed providers only in the states where they are licensed and with prior authorization, Reddit asks for industry certifications and a sales representative, Microsoft preapproves telemedicine providers that sell prescription drugs, and Amazon Ads does not accept telemedicine as display ads in its store.

   Source: Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy, additional sections; Meta Advertising Standards, Drugs and pharmaceuticals; LinkedIn Advertising Policies; X Ads healthcare policy; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; Amazon Ads Healthcare products and services policy; LegitScript Healthcare Merchant Certification

   Safer wording: Get LegitScript certification if you prescribe or sell prescription drugs, then ask each platform for its telehealth authorization before the ad runs, and name only the states where you are licensed.

   Meta Advertising Standards, Drugs and pharmaceuticals, LegitScript Healthcare Merchant Certification, Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy, additional sections, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy, Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy, Amazon Ads Healthcare products and services policy, Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy, LinkedIn Advertising Policies, X Ads healthcare policy

10. CG-PLT-023 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

    Meta bars claims that weight loss results can be achieved solely by using wearable products. Amazon and Microsoft bar claims that a customer will lose weight by wearing a product or rubbing it into the skin, and Taboola does not accept transdermal patches or products claiming weight loss by wearing them on the skin.

    Source: Meta Advertising Standards, Health and wellness; Amazon Ads Stores creative acceptance policies; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; Taboola Policy FAQ health and beauty

    Safer wording: Do not tie weight loss to wearing or applying a product. Describe what the product is and refer to a clinician for weight management.

    Meta Advertising Standards, Health and wellness, Amazon Ads Stores creative acceptance policies, Taboola Policy FAQ health and beauty, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy

11. CG-PLT-024 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

    Amazon Ads and Microsoft bar claims that a person can lose weight with the product alone, without diet, exercise or a healthy lifestyle. Taboola rejects claims of weight loss without dieting or exercise, and Reddit bars implying unrealistic, unsafe or atypical weight loss outcomes.

    Source: Amazon Ads Claims and substantiation policy; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; Taboola Policy FAQ health and beauty; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy

    Safer wording: Describe weight management as a program that includes nutrition and activity guided by a clinician, with no promise of results without them.

    Taboola Policy FAQ health and beauty, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy, Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy, Amazon Ads Claims and substantiation policy

None of our sample wording triggers a Amazon Ads rule, so no example is shown. The rules above are still part of the set.

109 federal and general rules matched to clinics and medical practices run next to the Amazon Ads ones. The ones that weigh most:

1. CG-ABS-003 · Blocks approval · Citation checked against stored text

   Claims of no risk or no side effects are unsubstantiated safety claims.

   Source: FTC Act section 5; FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance; 21 CFR 202.1 (prescription drug advertising, fair balance)

   Safer wording: State known risks and side effects fairly, or say who should talk to a clinician first.

   21 CFR 202.1 · Needs counsel review

2. CG-CSR-001 · Blocks approval · Citation checked against stored text

   Prescribing a controlled substance without a real evaluation, records or follow-up violates the Controlled Substances Act and DEA telemedicine rules.

   Source: 21 U.S.C. 829 and 841(h); 21 CFR 1306.04 (prescription issued for a legitimate medical purpose); 21 CFR 1306.05 (manner of issuance, so a prescription must carry the patient and practitioner details); FTC Act section 5

   Safer wording: Do not advertise controlled substances. A licensed clinician must decide whether to prescribe after a real evaluation.

   21 CFR 1306.04, 21 U.S.C. 829, 21 CFR 1306.05 · Needs counsel review

3. CG-DEA-003 · Blocks approval · Citation checked against stored text

   Offering to fill a prescription for a controlled substance based only on an online questionnaire is a listed example of an internet distribution violation.

   Source: 21 U.S.C. 841 subsection (h) lists offering to fill a controlled substance prescription based solely on a consumer's online medical questionnaire as an example of a violation

   Safer wording: Do not tie a controlled substance prescription to a questionnaire alone. Describe a live evaluation by a licensed practitioner who decides if a prescription is appropriate.

   21 U.S.C. 841 · Needs counsel review

4. CG-EFF-014 · Blocks approval · Citation checked against stored text

   Claims of instant, one-visit or universal results, or of working where all else fails, promise outcomes no clinic can substantiate.

   Source: FTC Act section 5; FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance; FTC Endorsement Guides, 16 CFR Part 255

   Safer wording: Remove the promise of speed or certainty. Say what the service is and that results vary.

   16 CFR Part 255 · Needs counsel review

Everything for the industry is on the clinics and medical practices page, and all Amazon Ads rules for any industry are on the Amazon Ads page.