Fix Google’s
Prescription Drug
Services Violation

Check the inbox of the email linked to your Google account. Google always sends a notification that names the specific policy — in this case, "Prescription Drug Services." The email will often list specific ads, campaigns, or pages involved. Keep it open while working through this checklist as you will need exact details when writing your appeal to Google.

Go to the Google platform that flagged you. In Google Ads: click the tools icon (wrench) then "Policy Manager." In Google AdSense: click "Policy Center" in the left menu. Find the specific violation or disapproval, read it in full, and take a screenshot. Note every flagged ad, campaign, or page URL listed — each must be fixed individually before your appeal will succeed.

This policy covers any advertising or website content related to prescription medications. Google requires advertisers in this space to hold a valid, government-issued pharmacy licence and to have a separate certification from Google (and in most cases LegitScript, a third-party verification body). The policy prohibits: advertising prescription drugs without certification, offering to sell drugs without a valid prescription, promoting controlled substances online, and implying that prescription requirements can be bypassed in any way.

List every web address and campaign name mentioned in the violation notice. You must fix all of them individually. Google’s review team checks each flagged item separately during the appeal process — leaving even one unfixed will result in a rejected appeal, forcing you to wait another 3 to 14 business days before you can try again.

Visit support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6005073 to read the full policy. This page lists exactly which countries the policy applies to, which drug categories are affected, what certification is required for each category, and which types of content are permanently banned versus conditionally allowed with the right certification. Reading it in full helps you avoid missing violations that are not immediately obvious.

Google requires that any business advertising prescription drug services holds a valid pharmacy licence issued by the relevant government authority in every country or state where it operates. Check that your pharmacy licence is current, has not expired, and covers the specific services you advertise. If any licence has lapsed, renew it before attempting to appeal or apply for certification — an expired licence is an automatic rejection.

LegitScript is an independent body that Google requires many prescription drug advertisers to be certified by before their ads can run. If you are advertising an online pharmacy, a prescription drug product, or a prescription drug fulfilment service, you almost certainly need LegitScript certification. Visit legitscript.com and check whether your business type requires their certification. Without it, your ads will continue to be disapproved even after other fixes are made.

If your business is based in or serves the United States and involves controlled substances (medications that are legally classified as controlled — such as certain painkillers, stimulants, or sedatives), you must have a current Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration. Confirm your DEA registration number is valid and not suspended. This number will be required as part of any certification application and may be checked during Google’s review.

In the United States, pharmacies that dispense medications to patients in multiple states must be licenced by the pharmacy board of each individual state they ship to — not just the state they are physically located in. Check the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) database at nabp.pharmacy to confirm whether you hold the required licences for every state you serve. Missing a single state licence is grounds for rejection.

Review your entire dispensing process — how prescriptions are verified, how medications are stored, how they are shipped, and what your returns or error policy is — against the laws and regulations in every country, state, or province you serve. Any dispensing practice that is non-compliant with local law will prevent certification. If you are unsure about requirements in a specific region, consult a qualified healthcare regulatory attorney before proceeding.

If your business includes a telemedicine component — where patients consult with doctors online and receive prescriptions digitally — this service is subject to additional requirements beyond standard pharmacy certification. Google has specific policies for telehealth prescription services. Check support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9890919 for current telehealth advertiser requirements and confirm whether your specific model requires a separate application or certification to Google.

Go through every page, product listing, and promotional offer on your website. Remove any language, button, or process that suggests, implies, or allows customers to obtain prescription medications without first providing a valid prescription issued by a licensed physician. This includes phrases like "no prescription needed," "prescription-free," "get your medication without a doctor," or similar wording — however subtly phrased.

Controlled substances — such as certain opioids, benzodiazepines, stimulants, and other Schedule II–V medications in the US — cannot be advertised or sold online in most circumstances without specific DEA authorisation and LegitScript certification for that category. Remove any page, product listing, or content that offers, advertises, or describes the availability of controlled substances for purchase online, unless you hold all the required authorisations and certifications to do so legally.

Prescriptions issued without a legitimate doctor-patient relationship — for example, based only on an online questionnaire, without a video consultation, or without reviewing a patient’s full medical history — are illegal in most jurisdictions and a direct policy violation. If your site offers or facilitates obtaining prescriptions this way, this service must be removed or redesigned to involve a fully licensed physician conducting a proper clinical consultation before any prescription is issued.

Your pharmacy licence number, issuing authority name, and licence expiry date must be clearly visible on your website — typically in the footer of every page and on your About Us or Contact page. If you hold licences in multiple states or countries, list all of them. This transparency is required by Google, LegitScript, and in many cases by law. Reviewers will check for this during your application and appeal, and its absence is an automatic red flag.

Every page that discusses, lists, or promotes prescription medications must include a clear disclaimer stating that a valid prescription from a licensed physician is required before the medication can be dispensed. The disclaimer must be clearly visible without scrolling on desktop and mobile, written in plain language, and not hidden in small print. Example: "All prescription medications on this site require a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider." Add this to every relevant product and service page.

Websites handling prescription information must have a dedicated patient privacy policy — separate from a standard website Privacy Policy — that explains how prescription details, medical histories, doctor information, and any other health-related data are collected, stored, used, and protected. In the US this must comply with HIPAA. In the UK and EU it must comply with data protection law (GDPR/UK GDPR). LegitScript and Google both review this document as part of the certification process.

Every individual product listing or service page for a prescription medication must include: the drug name, a statement that it is a prescription-only medication, a note that a valid prescription must be submitted before the order is processed, and information about how patients can submit their prescription. Generic pages that list multiple drugs without this information per item do not satisfy the requirement — each product page must have its own clear prescription statement.

If you do not yet hold Google’s Healthcare & Medicines certification for prescription drug advertising, pause or delete every ad that promotes prescription medications, pharmacy services, or prescription fulfilment. Running these ads without the required certification is what triggered the violation. Keeping them active — even in a paused state in some cases — can affect your appeal outcome and prevent reinstatement.

Read through every headline and description in your disapproved ads. Remove language that implies: medications are available without a prescription, the ordering process does not require a doctor, prescriptions are optional or can be skipped, or that your service provides a faster or easier route to medication than visiting a doctor. Replace with accurate, factual language that clearly reflects your legitimate, prescription-required process.

Google restricts the ability to target audiences based on health conditions, medical diagnoses, or sensitive health interests when advertising prescription drugs. Review the audience targeting settings of every campaign. Remove any custom audiences, in-market audiences, or interest-based targeting related to specific health conditions or medications. Use only geographic, demographic, or broad keyword targeting until certification is in place and you have confirmed which targeting options are permitted under your certification tier.

Visit every landing page used in your prescription drug campaigns by clicking through as a visitor would from an incognito browser window. Check that: the page does not offer prescription drugs without requiring a valid prescription, the prescription requirement disclaimer is clearly visible, your pharmacy licence number is displayed, no controlled substances are offered for sale without the required authorisations, and the page content matches what the ad promises. Fix every non-compliant element before resubmitting.

Certain controlled substance categories are permanently banned from Google Ads regardless of what certifications an advertiser holds. These include: opioids (such as oxycodone or hydrocodone) promoted directly to patients, benzodiazepines, and other Schedule II drugs in most markets. Delete any campaign or ad group that promotes these substance types. Even a paused ad in a banned category can affect your overall account standing during a review.

Ad extensions — including sitelink extensions, callout extensions, structured snippets, and promotion extensions — are subject to the same Prescription Drug Services policy as your main ad copy. Go through every active extension across all campaigns and ad groups. Remove any extension that mentions specific prescription drugs by name, promotes a no-prescription service, links to a non-compliant landing page, or uses language that implies bypassing prescription requirements. Extensions set at account level affect every ad and must be audited carefully.

Go to legitscript.com and begin the certification application for your business category. LegitScript reviews online pharmacies, prescription drug websites, telehealth prescription services, and related businesses. The application requires: your pharmacy licence(s), DEA registration (if applicable), proof of physical address, details of your dispensing process, and your website URL. The process typically takes 4 to 8 weeks and costs a fee. Start immediately — you cannot run prescription drug ads on Google until this is complete.

Once you have received or are in the process of receiving LegitScript certification, visit google.com/ads/healthcare and submit Google’s own Healthcare & Medicines certification application. You will need to provide your LegitScript certification number, your pharmacy licence details, the countries you operate in, and details of the types of medications you advertise. Google will review your application and may take 2 to 4 weeks to approve or reject it. Approval of this certification is what unlocks the ability to run prescription drug ads.

Before starting either certification application, collect all required documents so you can submit them promptly and avoid delays. Typically required: copies of all current pharmacy licences, DEA registration certificate, state pharmacy board licences for every state served, proof of a verified physical address, your website URL, details of your prescription verification process, your patient privacy policy, and your terms of service. Having these ready reduces the application time from weeks to days.

Both LegitScript and Google require that pharmacy websites prevent minors from accessing prescription drug services. A simple checkbox saying "I confirm I am over 18" is not sufficient. Proper age verification for pharmaceutical websites typically requires integration with a recognised age verification service that validates the user’s age against a database or requires ID confirmation. Implement a compliant age verification system before submitting your certification applications — its absence is a common reason for rejection.

Your website must have a clear Terms of Service document that is easy to find (linked in the footer of every page). For prescription drug services, this document must include: who may use the service (adults only, with a valid prescription), what prescription verification process is used, how refunds or errors are handled, what liability limitations apply, how patient data is protected, and how to contact your pharmacy for complaints or questions. LegitScript reviewers read this document thoroughly during the application process.

LegitScript and Google require that patients be able to contact a licensed pharmacist with questions about their medications. Add a page or section to your website that clearly shows: the name and licence number of your supervising pharmacist, a direct email or phone number for pharmacist enquiries, your physical pharmacy address, your operating hours, and a clear complaints procedure with a timeline for resolution. This information must be accurate, verifiable, and kept up to date at all times.

Open an incognito or private browsing window (Chrome: Ctrl+Shift+N, Mac: Cmd+Shift+N) and visit every page that was flagged or that you changed. An incognito window shows pages exactly as Google’s review system or a first-time visitor would see them — without your cached files or logged-in status affecting what is displayed. Confirm: all no-prescription language is gone, prescription disclaimers are visible, licence numbers are displayed, no controlled substances are available without authorisation, and your age verification is working. Repeat on a mobile phone.

Before contacting Google, write down every fix in a specific, numbered format. Example: "1. Removed all 'no prescription needed' language from /medications page on [date]. 2. Added pharmacy licence number XXXX-XXXX to site footer on [date]. 3. Added prescription-required disclaimer to all 14 product pages. 4. Submitted LegitScript certification application on [date] — reference number: XXXX. 5. Paused all prescription drug campaigns pending certification." Specific lists are far more convincing than vague statements and demonstrate to Google that genuine, substantial changes have been made.

For Google Ads: log in → Tools (wrench) → Policy Manager → find the disapproved item → click "Appeal" → paste your numbered changes summary. Note: if your ad category requires certification, the appeal form may redirect you to the certification application instead. Complete the certification application if prompted — do not try to bypass it with a standard appeal. Submit once and wait. Multiple submissions slow the process. Google typically takes 3 to 14 business days to respond.

Both LegitScript certification and pharmacy licences expire and must be renewed on a schedule. Set calendar reminders 90 days before each expiry date. If either lapses, your Google Ads will be automatically suspended again — even if you were previously certified and compliant. LegitScript also conducts periodic monitoring of certified sites; if your website changes in a way that violates their standards between renewal periods, they can revoke your certification without notice, suspending your ads immediately.

Prescription drug advertising compliance is one of the most complex areas in digital marketing, with requirements that vary significantly by country, drug category, and business model. If you receive repeated violations, operate in multiple countries, handle controlled substances, or are uncertain whether your current setup is fully compliant, work with a qualified healthcare advertising compliance consultant. The cost of professional guidance is almost always far lower than the cost of sustained advertising downtime and the reputational damage of repeat violations.