Ad platform policy
Reddit health ad policy rules the checker applies
16 rules taken from stored excerpts of Reddit advertising policy. Pick Reddit in the checker's Ad platforms picker to run them.
Reddit rules
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
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
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
CG-PLT-010 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text
Pharmacy ads need proof of third-party certification. TikTok asks for NABP or LegitScript proof, Snap requires online pharmacies to be registered and, in the United States, NABP verified, Google allows US online pharmacies only with accreditation and Google certification, and Meta requires online pharmacies to be certified by LegitScript and authorized by Meta. X, Reddit, Yahoo and Nextdoor ask for NABP (or LegitScript) accreditation, LinkedIn and Microsoft require prior authorization or preapproval, and Amazon Ads accepts online pharmacies only in the US with NABP registration and not as display ads in its store.
Source: TikTok Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals ad policy (United States, pharmacies); Snap Ads Category Requirements, Health (online pharmacy); Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy (United States); 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, Pharmacies
Safer wording: Get NABP, .Pharmacy or LegitScript certification and the platform's own approval before the ad runs, and name the licensed pharmacy.
Meta Advertising Standards, Drugs and pharmaceuticals, Nextdoor Ads Policy, Yahoo Ad Policy, Pharmacies, 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, TikTok Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals ad policy, Snap Ads Category Requirements, Health, LinkedIn Advertising Policies, X Ads healthcare policy
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
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
CG-PLT-014 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text
Pinterest bars targeting an audience on a sensitive health or medical condition, and targeting proxies for it. Google treats health as a sensitive interest category with restricted targeting. LinkedIn, X, Reddit and Spotify bar targeting on health data or conditions, and Microsoft bars targeting consumers on sensitive health information.
Source: Pinterest Advertising Guidelines (don't target sensitive categories); Google Ads Restricted targeting in personalized advertising policy (sensitive interest categories, health); LinkedIn Advertising Policies; X Ads targeting of sensitive categories policy; Reddit Ads Targeting Guidelines; Spotify Advertising Policies; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy
Safer wording: Target by topic, placement or broad demographics, and write the ad for everyone who might see it.
X Ads targeting of sensitive categories policy, Spotify Advertising Policies, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy, Reddit Ads Targeting Guidelines, Google Ads Restricted targeting in personalized advertising policy, Pinterest Advertising Guidelines, LinkedIn Advertising Policies
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
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
CG-PLT-021 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text
Meta bars click-bait in a health or weight loss context, such as "1 crazy tip to lose weight!". Microsoft lists "use this 1 weird tip" and "kill stomach fat" as click-bait examples, and Nextdoor, X and Reddit bar sensationalistic, exaggerated or click-bait ads.
Source: Meta Advertising Standards, Unrealistic outcomes; Microsoft Advertising Information Integrity and Misleading Content policy; Nextdoor Ads Policy; X Ads deceptive and fraudulent content policy; Reddit Ads Deceptive, Untrue, or Misleading Advertising policy
Safer wording: State what the service is and who provides it. Drop the teaser and the secret-knowledge framing.
Meta Advertising Standards, Unrealistic outcomes, X Ads deceptive and fraudulent content policy, Nextdoor Ads Policy, Microsoft Advertising Information Integrity and Misleading Content policy, Reddit Ads Deceptive, Untrue, or Misleading Advertising policy
CG-PLT-022 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text
Meta bars ads that declare or imply a perfect body, exploit insecurities or shame the body in order to promote a diet, weight loss or health product. Reddit bars body-shaming language and unrealistic beauty standards in weight loss and cosmetic ads, Nextdoor bars promoting negative or unrealistic body images, and Microsoft bars content that encourages negative body image in weight loss ads.
Source: Meta Advertising Standards, Personal health and appearance; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy; Nextdoor Ads Policy; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy
Safer wording: Describe the benefit in health terms (energy, mobility, blood pressure) and leave out appearance ideals and shame.
Meta Advertising Standards, Personal health and appearance, Nextdoor Ads Policy, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy, Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy
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
CG-PLT-026 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text
Taboola rejects ads that discourage or compare to conventional medicine, such as "Forget the pills", "You don't need surgery" and "Better than medicines". Amazon Ads bars discouraging customers from seeing a qualified medical professional, Microsoft bars claiming a supplement can replace prescribed treatment, and Reddit bars implying a supplement is as effective as or better than an FDA-approved drug.
Source: Taboola Policy FAQ health and beauty; Amazon Ads Healthcare products and services policy; Amazon Ads sponsored ads policies; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy
Safer wording: Present the product as a complement to professional care and leave out any suggestion of skipping or replacing treatment.
Amazon Ads sponsored ads policies, Taboola Policy FAQ health and beauty, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy, Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy, Amazon Ads Healthcare products and services policy
CG-PLT-027 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text
Amazon Ads bars products that improperly claim to be FDA cleared or approved or that use the FDA logo, and bars regulatory endorsement claims on healthcare products. Microsoft bars statements that misrepresent regulatory approval or review, and Apple bars deceptively expressing or implying regulatory approval for a dietary supplement. Reddit requires FDA approval for the drugs and devices it allows.
Source: Amazon Ads sponsored ads policies; Amazon Ads Claims and substantiation policy; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; Apple Advertising Services policies; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy
Safer wording: Supplements are not FDA approved. Say what the product contains and add the standard statement that the FDA has not evaluated the claims, or leave the FDA out.
Amazon Ads sponsored ads policies, Apple Advertising Services policies, Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy, Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy, Amazon Ads Claims and substantiation policy
CG-PLT-028 · Warns · Citation checked against stored text
Addiction treatment ads are gated. Google and Meta require LegitScript certification (and Meta written permission, for the United States), Microsoft allows them only in the United States with LegitScript certification and no lead generation ads, Reddit requires industry certifications and licensed staff, Nextdoor requires LegitScript certification for the USA, and Amazon Ads does not accept addiction-related healthcare services in its store.
Source: Google Ads Addiction services policy; Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy, additional sections (United States, addiction services); Meta Advertising Standards, Drug and alcohol addiction treatment; Microsoft Advertising Healthcare and Pharmaceutical policy; Reddit Ads Healthcare Products and Services policy; Nextdoor Ads Policy; Amazon Ads Healthcare products and services policy; LegitScript Healthcare Merchant Certification
Safer wording: Get LegitScript certification first, then apply to each platform. Do not run lead generation ads for addiction services.
Meta Advertising Standards, Drug and alcohol addiction treatment, Nextdoor Ads Policy, LegitScript Healthcare Merchant Certification, Google Ads Healthcare and medicines policy, additional sections, Google Ads Addiction services 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
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
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