What Are Meta's Rules for Health and Wellness Ads?

Health products are allowed on Meta, but they sit in the Restricted Goods and Services section, so most come with an adult-only audience and a list of claims you cannot make. The policy has two parts: health and wellbeing, which covers diet, weight and cosmetic products, and adult products and reproductive health. Medicines are handled separately, and ads that debate health policy fall under a different rulebook altogether.

What can health and wellbeing ads not say?

Meta’s Help Center says advertisers cannot run ads that:

• promote weight-loss or weight-gain products showing a close-up of a body area with pinched fat, or claiming results come solely from a wearable product;
• promote weight-loss, weight-gain or cosmetic products with statements of inferiority about someone’s appearance, body parts or hygiene;
• promote skin whitening or bleaching products that cause permanent skin colour change;
• claim to cure, heal or eliminate any of these incurable diseases or terminal illnesses: diabetes, herpes, thyroid, psoriasis, Ebola, cancer, autism, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS or HIV;
• use clickbait in a health, weight-loss or weight-gain context, such as exaggerated claims or promises of specific outcomes in a set timeframe without disclaimers or qualifiers.

The cure-claim ban applies even when the claim comes from a health professional or organization. It does not cover claims about treating or managing symptoms of those conditions.

What needs 18+ targeting, and what is exempt?

Product	Age rule in Meta’s policy
Dietary weight-loss or weight-gain products, such as supplements or pills	18 or older
Cosmetic procedures and surgeries, such as fillers, peels, laser treatments, hair restoration surgery	18 or older
Sexual and reproductive health products, such as contraception, condoms, fertility services	18 or older, with focus on health, not pleasure
General wellbeing products and services, such as fitness services, equipment and health clubs	Exempt
General food products, including protein products	Exempt
Non-permanent cosmetic and beauty products, such as creams, make-up, hair products	Exempt
Dental products, such as teeth whitening	Exempt

How are sexual and reproductive health ads handled?

Meta does not allow ads promoting sexual arousal products focused on pleasure, such as sex toys, or adult sexual services. Ads for sexual and reproductive health and wellness are allowed for 18+ audiences when they focus on health and medical efficacy. Meta’s examples include products for erectile dysfunction or the effects of menopause, contraceptives including condoms, ovulation and pregnancy tracking apps, IVF and family planning clinics.

Where do medicines and health policy ads fit?

Medicines follow the separate Drugs and Pharmaceuticals policy. Prescription drug ads need Meta’s authorization, which online pharmacies and telehealth providers can request only after LegitScript certification, and may target only people 18 or older in the United States, Canada or New Zealand. Over-the-counter medicines must follow local law and not target anyone under 18. Ads that discuss, debate or advocate on health policy, such as healthcare reform or access, are treated as social issue ads and need authorization and a disclaimer in certain countries.

How do you prepare a health ad for review?

1. Identify which part of the policy your product falls under, and whether it is exempt from age targeting.
2. Set the minimum age to 18 or older if it is not exempt.
3. Remove any claim to cure, heal or eliminate a listed disease.
4. Rewrite copy that implies the viewer has a condition, which also breaks the personal attributes policy.
5. Qualify any timeframe for results instead of promising a specific outcome.

FAQ

Can I say my supplement helps manage diabetes symptoms?

Meta’s cure-claim ban targets claims to cure, heal or eliminate the listed diseases and states that it does not apply to claims about symptom treatment or management. The ad still has to target people 18 or older if it promotes a dietary product, and avoid implying the viewer has diabetes.

Do protein powders need 18+ targeting?

Not under the age rule. Meta’s Health and Wellness policy lists general food products, including protein products, as exempt from its age targeting requirement. If the product is marketed for weight loss or weight gain, the dietary product rules and 18+ targeting apply instead.

Why was my health ad rejected for personal attributes?

Meta’s personal attributes policy bans ads that assert or imply someone’s physical or mental health, including medical conditions. Its own example, “Have you been diagnosed with cancer? Come to our clinic for treatment,” is rejected because it assumes the viewer has cancer. Describe the treatment instead.