Google Ads loosens prescription drug term restrictions for non-promotional use

Google Ads is updating its healthcare and medicines policy to allow contextual, non-promotional use of prescription drug terms — a shift from blanket restrictions to a more nuanced approach.

What’s new. Starting Oct. 29, Google will allow advertisers to include prescription drug terms in ad text and landing pages in limited, non-promotional contexts — such as public health announcements, academic publications, or legal actions.

• This means ads that reference prescription drugs for informational or educational purposes may now be eligible for approval, whereas previously they would have been restricted automatically.
  However, Google’s policy for keyword targeting prescription drug terms has not changed.
• Advertisers in the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand must still hold the appropriate healthcare certification to target keywords containing prescription drug terms. This applies to online pharmacies, telemedicine providers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• In all other countries, promoting prescription drugs remains prohibited, though certified entities may use prescription terms in non-promotional ways if allowed by local law.
• Google says enforcement begins Oct. 29 and will ramp up over four to six weeks. Advertisers will receive a seven-day warning before any account suspension.

Why we care. This update introduces greater flexibility for advertisers who use prescription drug terms in legitimate, non-promotional contexts — such as government health campaigns, legal notifications, or scientific research.

Healthcare marketers, pharmacies, and pharmaceutical companies should note that existing certification requirements for keyword targeting remain in place and are unchanged by this update.

Legal advertisers or public health organizations may benefit from fewer unnecessary ad restrictions under this new, context-aware system.

Industry reaction. Early reactions to the policy update have been mixed.

• “Pretty wild Google Ads update! You now must be certified to keyword target prescription drug terms. Keywords used to be fair game — this is a big shift, especially for mass tort advertisers.” said Anthony Higman, founder and CEO of AdSquire:
• “How does this even work with broad or phrase match? Even if you avoid a drug name, won’t AI or PMax variants still trigger it?” replied Google Ads Coach, Jyll Saskin Gales
• SEM strategist Abby Nelson found the update ironic: “We used to need LegitScript certification just for mentioning prescription terms on a landing page. Now broad match pulls in drug terms like Botox — and ads are still getting approved.”

What Google says. A Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land:

• “We’re updating our ads policies to allow the non-promotional use of prescription drug terms in ad text and landing pages, moving from a blanket restriction to a context-aware approach. Our policy for keyword targeting remains unchanged and still requires the appropriate healthcare certification.”

Bottom line. Rather than tightening restrictions, Google’s update loosens them in specific cases — introducing a more context-sensitive policy that distinguishes between promotional and informational use of prescription drug terms. Advertisers who mention these terms for legitimate, non-promotional purposes may see fewer disapprovals, while those promoting prescription drugs must continue to follow existing certification requirements.

First seen. The update was first spotted by Higman when he shared the above letter he got from Google on LinkedIn.