Google Mandates Certification for Prescription Drug Ads
▼ Summary
– Google Ads is implementing a major policy change restricting the use of prescription drug terms in ads, landing pages, and keywords starting October 29.
– In the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand, advertisers can promote prescription drugs if compliant with local laws but must now be certified to keyword-target prescription terms.
– Everywhere else, promotion of prescription drugs is banned, with only non-promotional uses like public health notices or academic research allowed.
– Enforcement begins October 29 with a seven-day warning before account suspensions, and Google will ramp up enforcement over four to six weeks.
– Industry reactions are mixed, with concerns about higher compliance costs, disruption to legal advertisers, and issues with keyword matching and certification requirements.
Google is implementing a significant new policy that changes how advertisers can use prescription drug terms in their campaigns, representing one of the most substantial healthcare advertising updates in recent memory. This move directly impacts how pharmaceutical products and services are marketed across the platform.
Beginning October 29, Google will enforce restrictions on the use of prescription drug terminology in advertisements, landing pages, and keywords, with specific regulations varying by geographic location. In the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, advertisers can still promote prescription medications provided they follow local regulations, but they must now obtain certification to target prescription-related keywords. This requirement applies to online pharmacies, telemedicine services, and drug manufacturers. Outside these three countries, Google is prohibiting prescription drug promotion entirely, permitting only non-commercial uses such as public health announcements or academic research. Some certified organizations may still be allowed to keyword-target these terms under strict conditions.
The enforcement period starts on October 29, with Google planning a gradual implementation over four to six weeks. Advertisers will receive a seven-day notification before any account suspensions occur, giving them time to address compliance issues.
Industry professionals have expressed varied reactions to this policy shift. Anthony Higman, founder and CEO of AdSquire, described the update as “pretty wild” and noted that “you now must be certified to keyword target prescription drug terms.” He emphasized that this represents a major change, particularly for mass tort advertisers who previously had more flexibility with keyword targeting.
Google Ads Coach Jyll Saskin Gales raised practical concerns about implementation, questioning how the policy would function with broad or phrase match keywords. She wondered whether AI or Performance Max variations might still trigger prescription terms even when advertisers deliberately avoid specific drug names.
SEM strategist Abby Nelson pointed out what she sees as irony in the new system, recalling that “we used to need LegitScript certification just for mentioning prescription terms on a landing page.” She observed that broad match currently pulls in drug terms like Botox while ads continue to gain approval, highlighting potential inconsistencies in the current enforcement approach.
This policy change means advertisers will likely face increased compliance expenses and more rigorous oversight. Healthcare marketers must secure proper certification before targeting any drug-related search terms. Legal advertisers specializing in pharmaceutical cases or mass tort litigation may experience disruptions to their existing campaigns.
The bottom line is clear: Google’s stricter control over healthcare advertising signals a new compliance-focused marketing environment where even keyword targeting requires proper authorization. The update first gained attention when Higman shared the official notification from Google on his LinkedIn profile, alerting the digital marketing community to the impending changes.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
