Meta health ad policy for telehealth

The Meta rules that decide whether a telehealth ad runs, in plain English. Each rule has a short quote from Meta's policy page, a link and the date we last checked it.

The same rules power the free ad compliance checker, so you can test your copy against them.

Last checked

What changed

RSS feed

  1. All Meta rules re-checked

    Every Meta rule on this page was re-read against its policy page. No wording changes since the July rewrite.

    Source

  2. Health and Wellness policy rewritten

    The new version restricts close-ups that pinch fat on a specific body area, timeframe promises without qualifiers and statements of inferiority about physical appearance (checked 3 Nov 2026).

    Source

  3. Health signals in custom conversions and audiences restricted

    Meta began restricting custom conversions and custom audiences that may suggest health conditions, such as names or URLs that mention a condition.

    Source

Prescription drugs, online pharmacies and telehealth

  • Ads that promote telehealth services generally, or educate about prescription drugs, do not need written authorization.

    “Promote telehealth services generally”

    Policy source · checked 2026-10-29 · rule id META_TELEHEALTH_GENERAL

  • Ads promoting prescription drugs require active LegitScript certification (telehealth providers and online pharmacies) plus Meta authorization, and may only target eligible countries (US, Canada, New Zealand).

    “Meta requires online pharmacies and telehealth providers to be actively certified with LegitScript.”

    Policy source · checked 2026-10-29 · rule id META_RX_CERT

  • Online pharmacies and telehealth providers promoting prescription drugs must be actively certified with LegitScript, then request authorization from Meta, and target only people 18 or older in eligible countries where they are certified.

    “Meta requires online pharmacies and telehealth providers to be actively certified with LegitScript.”

    Policy source · checked 2026-10-29 · rule id META_ONLINE_PHARMACY

  • Prescription drug ads must include a disclaimer to consult a licensed health professional or obtain a valid prescription.

    “consult a licensed health professional or obtain a valid prescription”

    Policy source · checked 2026-10-29 · rule id META_RX_DISCLAIMER

Weight loss, before and after, and appearance

  • Ads for dietary, health, weight loss or weight gain products and services, and for cosmetic products or procedures, must be targeted to people 18 or older.

    “must be targeted to people at least 18 years or older”

    Policy source · checked 2026-10-29 · rule id META_WEIGHT_18

  • Meta's Health and Wellness policy (change log entry 22 July 2026) bans close-ups that pinch fat on a body area, claims that results come from wearables alone, and clickbait such as promises of specific outcomes within a set timeframe without disclaimers or qualifiers. FTC rules on typical results still apply.

    “promises of specific outcomes within a set timeframe without disclaimers or qualifiers”

    Policy source · checked 2026-11-03 · rule id META_WEIGHT_BEFORE_AFTER

  • Weight loss, weight gain and cosmetic ads must not contain statements of inferiority about physical appearance: terms, descriptions or questions that are negative and attack an individual's appearance, body parts or hygiene.

    “statements of inferiority about physical appearance”

    Policy source · checked 2026-10-29 · rule id META_SELF_PERCEPTION

Sexual and reproductive health

  • Sexual and reproductive health ads must target 18+ and focus on health and medical efficacy, not sexual pleasure or enhancement. Prescription products also follow the Drugs and Pharmaceuticals policy.

    “the focus is on health and the medical efficacy of the product or the...”

    Policy source · checked 2026-10-29 · rule id META_REPRO_HEALTH

Personal attributes

  • Ads must not assert or imply personal attributes of the viewer, including medical conditions, mental health, age or financial status. 'You' is allowed when it does not reference a personal attribute.

    “Ads must not contain content that asserts or implies personal attributes.”

    Policy source · checked 2026-10-29 · rule id META_PERSONAL_ATTRIBUTES

Health data and conversion optimisation

Meta limits how health advertisers can use conversion data. It began restricting custom conversions and custom audiences that suggest health conditions from 2 September 2025 (Meta for Developers). Check your own Events Manager for which events are restricted for your data source, and plan measurement with the tracking planner.

Rules that apply on every platform

FTC and FDA rules apply to the ad wherever it runs.

  • Health benefit or safety claims need competent and reliable scientific evidence, generally randomized controlled human clinical testing. Testimonials and expert endorsements do not replace substantiation.

    “competent and reliable scientific evidence”

    Policy source · checked 2026-10-29 · rule id FTC_SUBSTANTIATION

  • Testimonials showing results that are not typical are likely deceptive, and 'results not typical' does not fix that. Ads should clearly disclose the results a typical consumer can expect.

    “results not typical”

    Policy source · checked 2026-10-29 · rule id FTC_TYPICAL_RESULTS

  • Compounded drugs are not FDA approved: FDA does not review their safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed. Claims that a compounded product is FDA approved, generic, or the same as a branded drug are high risk.

    “Compounded drugs are not FDA approved”

    Policy source · checked 2026-10-29 · rule id COMPOUNDED_EQUIVALENCE

Questions

Can telehealth brands advertise on Meta?
Yes. Ads that promote telehealth services generally do not need written permission. Ads that promote prescription drugs need LegitScript certification and Meta authorization.
Are before and after photos allowed in weight loss ads on Meta?
Meta's Health and Wellness policy bars weight loss ads that use close-ups pinching fat on a specific body area, promises of specific outcomes within a set timeframe without disclaimers or qualifiers, or statements of inferiority about physical appearance, and Meta's Advertising Standards bar content implying negative self-perception to promote weight loss products (checked 3 Nov 2026). We advise against before-and-after imagery in weight loss ads.

Related answers

  • Google healthcare ad policy for telehealth

    As of November 2026, Google restricts ads for the online prescribing, dispensing and sale of prescription drugs. Telemedicine providers must apply and be certified by Google, and in the United States they also need LegitScript Healthcare Merchant Certification. Offering prescription drugs without a prescription is not allowed. Telehealth Media, a telehealth-only ad creative agency, links each rule below to Google's policy page.

  • Meta Ad Policies for Telehealth: What You Can and Cannot Say

    As of November 2026, Meta lets a telehealth brand promote prescription drugs only if it is actively certified by LegitScript, authorized by Meta, and targets adults in the United States, Canada or New Zealand. Telehealth Media, a telehealth-only ad creative agency, writes to three Meta policies: Drugs and Pharmaceuticals, Health and Wellness, and Personal Attributes, which bars ads that imply a viewer's medical condition.

  • Hair Loss Treatment Advertising on Meta: What Gets Approved

    As of November 2026, Meta treats an ad for a prescription hair loss drug like any prescription drug ad: LegitScript certification, Meta authorization, a prescription disclaimer, and adults in the United States, Canada or New Zealand only. Over-the-counter treatments must follow local law and target adults. Telehealth Media, a telehealth-only ad creative agency, avoids timed regrowth promises, which Meta's clickbait rule bars.

  • How to Advertise GLP-1 and Semaglutide on Facebook Without Getting Banned

    As of November 2026, a telehealth brand can advertise prescription GLP-1 medication on Facebook only if it is actively certified by LegitScript, authorized by Meta, and targets people 18 or older in the United States, Canada or New Zealand. Telehealth Media, a telehealth-only ad creative agency, also writes to Meta's weight loss rules, which bar body-shaming, fat-pinching close-ups and timeframe promises without qualifiers.

Related guides and tools

Sources

  1. Meta Transparency Center: Drugs and Pharmaceuticals ad policy (checked 2 November 2026)
  2. Meta Transparency Center: Health and Wellness ad policy (current version and change log) (checked 2 November 2026)
  3. Meta Transparency Center: Introduction to the Advertising Standards (negative self-perception rule) (checked 3 November 2026)
  4. Meta Transparency Center: Personal attributes ad policy (checked 2 November 2026)
  5. Meta for Developers: Graph API and Marketing API v24 (custom audience and custom conversion restrictions) (checked 2 November 2026)
  6. FDA: Human drug compounding (checked 2 November 2026)

Last reviewed . Platform policies change often; we re-check this page every quarter.

This page is general information about platform policies, not legal advice. Policies change; check the linked source before you run ads.