7 Meta policy rules bear on wellness and supplement brands

Platform rules are about ad approval and account risk, not law, and policies change. These are the Meta (Facebook and Instagram) rules whose wording is about supplements, structure-function wording, CBD and weight-loss products. They run when Meta (Facebook and Instagram) 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-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

3. 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

4. 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

5. CG-PLT-017 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   Google does not allow products that imply they are as effective as prescription drugs or controlled substances, products with ephedra, or hCG promoted for weight loss or weight control. Amazon, Microsoft, Reddit and Yahoo bar claims that a non-prescription or supplement product is as effective as, or can replace, a prescription drug, and Meta, Reddit and Yahoo list ephedra or hCG among unsafe ingredients.

   Source: Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy (unapproved substances); Meta Advertising Standards, Unsafe substances; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy; Amazon Ads Claims and substantiation policy; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; Yahoo Ad Policy, Over the counter drugs

   Safer wording: Describe what the product is and what it contains, without comparing it to a prescription drug, and drop ephedra and hCG weight-loss wording.

   Meta Advertising Standards, Unsafe substances, 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, Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy

6. CG-PLT-029 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   Meta bars weight loss, cosmetic procedure and dietary supplement ads from targeting anyone under 18, and Microsoft requires 18+ targeting for healthcare advertising and for weight loss ads. LinkedIn and Nextdoor bar targeting under-18s with prescription, pharmacy, telehealth and pharmaceutical ads.

   Source: Meta Advertising Standards, Health and wellness; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; LinkedIn Advertising Policies; Nextdoor Ads Policy

   Safer wording: Write the ad for adults and set the audience to 18 and over. Do not address teens or children with these offers.

   Meta Advertising Standards, Health and wellness, Nextdoor Ads Policy, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy, LinkedIn Advertising Policies

7. CG-PLT-030 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text

   Meta lists anabolic steroids, chitosan, comfrey, DHEA, ephedra and human growth hormone as unsafe supplements. Reddit bars supplements with anabolic steroids, codeine, ephedra, HGH or opioids, Outbrain bars anabolic steroids, ephedra and HGH, Amazon Ads bars supplements with ephedrine alkaloids or Salvia divinorum, and X bars supplements that contain or reference anabolic steroids.

   Source: Meta Advertising Standards, Unsafe substances; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy; Outbrain Advertising Guidelines; Amazon Ads sponsored ads policies; X Ads healthcare policy

   Safer wording: Take the ingredient out of the ad and the product, or do not advertise the product on these platforms.

   Meta Advertising Standards, Unsafe substances, Amazon Ads sponsored ads policies, Outbrain Advertising Guidelines, Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy, X Ads healthcare policy

Sample wording we wrote, run through the engine with Meta (Facebook and Instagram) selected. Only samples where a Meta (Facebook and Instagram) rule fires are shown.

44 federal and general rules matched to wellness and supplement brands run next to the Meta (Facebook and Instagram) ones. The ones that weigh most:

1. CG-DIS-002 · Blocks approval · Citation checked against stored text

   A treatment claim for a named disease is a drug claim for a product, and needs support for a clinical service.

   Source: FDCA 201(g)(1); 21 CFR 101.93(g); FTC Act section 5

   Safer wording: For a clinical service, state who delivers care and what is offered ("our licensed clinicians evaluate and manage ..."). For a supplement, remove the disease reference.

   21 CFR 101.93(g) · Needs counsel review

2. CG-DIS-013 · Blocks approval · Citation checked against stored text

   A pain-relief claim for a supplement or wellness product treats a symptom of disease, which is a drug claim. For an approved over-the-counter drug or a clinical service, check that the wording matches the label or what you can support.

   Source: FDCA 201(g)(1); 21 CFR 101.93(g); FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance

   Safer wording: For a drug, use the approved indication from the label. For a service, describe the care and say results vary.

   21 CFR 101.93(g) · Needs counsel review

3. CG-DIS-019 · Blocks approval · Citation checked against stored text

   Claims to slow, stop or prevent a serious disease, or to restore function after spinal cord injury, are disease claims that need drug approval and evidence.

   Source: FDCA 201(g)(1); 21 CFR 101.93(g); FDA consumer alerts on stem cell and dietary supplement disease claims; FTC Act section 5

   Safer wording: Remove disease slowing, prevention and recovery claims. Describe a supplement by its nutrients only, and a stem cell service only as an investigational study.

   21 CFR 101.93(g) · Needs counsel review

4. CG-DIS-022 · Blocks approval · Citation checked against stored text

   Copy aimed at people who have a named disease ("Suffering from Crohn's?", "women with endometriosis love this") tells the reader the product is for that disease. FDA reads the intended use from this kind of audience targeting, and it makes a supplement an unapproved drug.

   Source: 21 CFR 101.93(g); 21 CFR 201.128 - intended use; FDCA 201(g)(1); FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance

   Safer wording: Describe the product and the normal function it supports, and do not address people by their disease. A clinic may describe who it treats and that results vary.

   21 CFR 101.93(g), 21 CFR 201.128 · Needs counsel review

Everything for the industry is on the wellness and supplement brands page, and all Meta (Facebook and Instagram) rules for any industry are on the Meta (Facebook and Instagram) page.