X health ad policy rules the checker applies

X rules

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-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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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