How to Fix Google Merchant Suspension Due to Health Products?

Google has strict policies regarding the promotion of healthcare and medical content. Any misstep, intentional or not, can trigger account suspension, which means you can no longer advertise on Shopping ads and free listings.

This blog explores why Google might suspend your Google Merchant Center account if you’re promoting health-related products, outlines the key policies to be aware of, and provides actionable solutions to resolve the issue. 

Whether you’re promoting over-the-counter or prescription drugs, understanding Google’s healthcare and medicines policy is essential to keep your ad campaigns compliant.

What is the ‘Account Suspended due to Health Products’ Error in Google Merchant Center?

An “Account Suspended due to Health Products” notification in your Google Merchant Center account indicates that your account has been suspended for violating Google’s policies related to Healthcare and medicines. This also means you won’t be able to promote your products through Shopping ads (Product Listing Ads) and free listings.

According to Google, you’re not allowed to promote healthcare-related content at all, except under specific circumstances, such as:

• Advertisers promoting such content are certified by Google and 
• You target only approved locations. 

Important: Based on the type of policy violation, Google may disapprove your products or suspend your account without any prior warning. In most cases, Google sends you email indicating the policy violation unless it is a egregious policy violation. Although, Google doesn’t clearly mention what comes under egregious policy violations, it states that Google doesn’t send a warning and may suspend account directly for egregious or repeated policy breaches.

Google has specific policies for the following types of healthcare-related content. Based on these policies, promotion may be restricted, require certification from Google and other regulatory bodies, or be prohibited entirely, depending on the product and target country:

• Prescription & behind-the-counter drugs
• Over-the-counter medication
• Unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements
• Prescription opioid painkillers
• Abortion
• Pet prescriptions & pharmacies
• Medical devices
• HIV home tests
• Secret paternity tests
• DNA testing kits
• Medical test kits

Important: Depending on the type of content you’re promoting, you will have to apply for a preauthorization from Google. To do so, you must fill out an online pharmacy application form or complete a certification program on healthcare products and services. The review process for an application may take up to 7 business days or longer, depending on the Google team.

Note: To learn which policies apply to your target country, Google has an official article on how policies differ from location to location.

Consequences of Ignoring the Error

1. Google will remove your products from Google Shopping ads and free listings, reducing traffic and sales.

2. Failure to address the policy violation may result in permanent Google Merchant Center account suspension.

Reasons for Health-related Products Issue in Google Merchant Center

In this section, we will discuss all the possibilities of facing an account suspension due to healthcare products. 

Reason 1: Prescription & behind-the-counter drugs

Google allows prescription and behind-the-counter drugs only in the US. In Canada, you can only promote prescription drugs. To understand the types of drugs that apply to this policy, visit this link. The list includes drugs and ingredients relevant to weight loss, ephedra, anabolic steroids, and unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements.

Important: If you’re targeting a US and Canadian audience, Google allows:

• Online pharmacies accredited by the LegitScript Healthcare Merchant Certification Programme, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) VIPP program, or the Pharmacy Verified Websites program.
• Organizations must be certified by Google.
• If you’re certified by LegitScript and NABP, you can apply for Google certification.

Resolution: 

These are restricted products. To overcome the suspension or product disapproval, you can:

1. Obtain certification: You must be certified by Google and achieve accreditation from a third-party organization like LegitScript or the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).
2. Update product data & website: Once certified, update your product data feed in Merchant Center and the corresponding product landing pages on your website to ensure full policy compliance. As this policy applies to only US and Canada, ensure you’re targeting these locations otherwise make changes in your feed settings if you’re promoting prescription and behind-the-counter drugs. If you’re targeting different locations you should remove these products from your feed.
3. Submit an appeal: After completing these steps, submit a review request through your Merchant Center account. We will be looking at the appeal process at the end of this blog. Click here to jump to the appeal policy decision section.

Reason 2: Over-the-counter medication

Google allows online pharmacies to advertise over-the-counter(OTC) medications through Shopping ads—but only if the country supports Shopping ads certification and the advertiser complies with the relevant certification requirements.

You don’t need certification to promote OTC medications in the United States. However, in countries where no certification process is applicable, these products are not eligible for promotion through Shopping ads.

Resolution: 

This is a restricted category.

1. Check country requirements: The rules vary by country. Online pharmacies must be certified in locations where Shopping ads certification is available. In the U.S., you do not need certification.
2. Update website & landing page: Ensure your website and landing page’s content comply with the specific requirements for your target country. For example, ensure your landing page includes legal information or accreditations.
3. Submit an appeal: If you believe you are compliant, or after making necessary changes, submit an appeal.

Reason 3: Unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements

This policy prohibits promoting specific products, regardless of their legality, due to the potential for harm or misleading claims.

Important: You cannot promote these products anywhere.

The policy prohibits the following products:

• Any product in the non-exhaustive list of prohibited pharmaceuticals and supplements. This list includes items like products containing ephedra, as well as specific substances like DMAA (dimethylamylamine) and picamilon.
• Products containing ephedra.
• DHEA and melatonin products are prohibited unless explicitly permitted in a specific country. 
• Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is marketed for weight loss, weight management, or in association with anabolic steroids.
• Herbal or dietary supplements that include active pharmaceutical ingredients or other potentially dangerous substances.
• Products that make false or misleading health claims, or websites primarily focused on selling items that claim to offer effects comparable to anabolic steroids, prescription weight-loss medications, controlled substances, or prescription erectile dysfunction drugs.
• Unapproved or non-prescription products marketed as safe or effective for preventing, treating, or curing specific diseases or medical conditions, without proper government authorization.
• Shopping ads may restrict the promotion of any dietary supplement, medication, or related product subject to regulatory warnings or government action.
• Additionally, the promotion of products with names that are identical or potentially misleadingly similar to anabolic steroids, weight-loss medications, prescription drugs, controlled substances, or other products prohibited under this policy is not allowed, regardless of claims about their legality.

Important: DHEA and Melatonin are highly restricted. Promoting DHEA and melatonin products is prohibited unless explicitly allowed in a specific country (e.g., they are permitted with limitations in the United States).

Resolution

This is a prohibited category.

1. Remove Products: The only resolution is immediately removing the violating products from your product data feed and website. There is no certification or appeal process to get these products approved.

Reason 4: Prescription opioid painkillers

Shopping ads prohibit the promotion of prescription opioid painkillers, except when they are intended explicitly for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) of opioid use disorder and fully comply with all applicable prescription drug requirements. 

Important: You cannot promote prescription opioid painkillers anywhere.

Resolution: 

This is a prohibited category.

Remove products: Prescription opioid painkillers are also prohibited, with very narrow exceptions for medication-assisted treatment (MAT). You must remove these products from your feed and website.

Reason 5: Abortion

Google imposes restrictions on the promotion of abortion-related content, including abortion-inducing medications.  Advertisers must note that requirements for promoting such content vary by country, and advertisers should refer to the country-specific guidelines. However, content that includes violent language or graphic imagery related to abortion is strictly prohibited.

Resolution: 

This is a restricted category.

1. Review country-specific rules: Check the specific guidelines for your target country to ensure compliance.
2. Update product data & website: Modify your product data and landing page content to align with the country’s policies, avoiding violent language or graphic imagery, which is strictly prohibited everywhere. Review feed attributes such as update title, description, image_link, link if it includes any graphic imagery or violent language.

Reason 6: Pet prescriptions & pharmacies

• Shopping ads permit the promotion of pet pharmacies and pet pharmaceuticals exclusively in the United States and Canada.
• Merchants targeting these countries must be accredited through either the LegitScript Healthcare Merchant Certification and Monitoring Program or the NABP’s Pharmacy Verified Websites Program, and must also obtain certification from Google.

Resolution: 

This is a restricted category.

1. Obtain certification: This is only allowed in the U.S. and Canada. You must be accredited by an approved third-party organization and obtain Google certification.

Reason 7: Medical Devices

Google allows promoting medical devices in Shopping ads, provided merchants must adhere to country-specific guidelines.

Resolution: 

This is a restricted category.

1. Adhere to local regulations: Promotion is allowed, but you must ensure your product data and website adhere to all country-specific guidelines and local regulatory requirements.

Reason 8: HIV home tests

Shopping ads permit the promotion of HIV home testing kits in the 

• Netherlands, 
• the United Kingdom, and 
• the United States. 

All such products must comply with local regulatory requirements.

Resolution:

This is a restricted category.

1. Adhere to local regulations: You can promote HIV home tests in the Netherlands, the UK, and the U.S. However, you must ensure that your product data and website fully comply with the regulatory requirements in your target country.

Reason 9: Secret paternity tests

Shopping ads prohibit the promotion of secret paternity tests, and this policy applies to all countries, meaning you cannot sell such products anywhere.

Resolution:

This is a prohibited category.

1. Remove Products: You must remove these products from your product data feed and website, as they are not allowed for promotion in any country.

Reason 10: DNA testing kits

Shopping ads permit the promotion of direct-to-consumer DNA testing kits, along with their related reporting services. Advertisers must ensure compliance with all applicable legal requirements specific to the targeted country regarding the sale and advertisement of these products.

Resolution:

This is a restricted category.

1. Adhere to local regulations: Ensure your ads, product data, and website comply with all applicable legal requirements specific to the targeted country.

Reason 11:  Medical test kits

Shopping ads and free listings allow the promotion of at-home medical test kits, including those for COVID-19, whether they provide at-home results or require lab processing. All test kits must comply with country-specific regulations, and it is the merchant’s responsibility to ensure full adherence to these legal requirements.

Resolution:

This is a restricted category.

1. Adhere to local regulations: Google allows all these test kits, but you must comply with country-specific regulations. It is your responsibility to ensure full adherence to these legal requirements.

Restrictions for Promoting Health Products in the US

If you’re targeting the US audience, you can promote the following health-related products by adhering to the policy-specific guidelines and requirements.

• Prescription drugs
• Over-the-counter medication
• Behind-the-counter medication
• DHEA and melatonin (allowed with limitations)
• Pet prescriptions and pharmacies
• HIV home tests( allowed with limitations)

How to Find Out If your Account is Suspended Due To Health-related Products? 

Google provides multiple ways to notify you of issues, be it product disapproval, a warning or account suspension.

Email Notifications

This is the first place you’ll find out about a policy violation. Google will send a detailed email to the address associated with your Merchant Center account.

• Product-level disapprovals: The email will specify which product(s) were disapproved and provide the reason for the violation.
• Account warnings: If the violation is not considered “egregious,” Google will usually issue a warning email, giving you a specific timeframe of 7 or 28 days to fix the issue before an account suspension.
• Account suspensions: You will receive a series of emails detailing the policy violation and confirming the suspension of your account, which disables all your products from appearing in Shopping ads and free listings.

Google Merchant Center

You can get details of your account suspension or product disapproval in your Google Merchant Center account.

Disapproved products:

You can see if any of your product was disapproved by navigating to the products section in the left-hand menu >> Click on the “Needs attention” tab >> Under “All products that need attention,” you’ll find a list of every product with an issue. You can click on each product to see the specific reason for its disapproval.

For Account-Level Issues (Warnings & Suspensions):

1. Go to the Diagnostics page. You can find this under the Products section.
2. Click on the “Account issues” tab.
3. Here, you will see a summary of any account-level warnings or suspensions, along with the specific policy violations that triggered the issue.

Note: Account-level issues are also displayed as a prominent banner at the top of your Google Merchant Center homepage, as well as on the “Needs attention” page.

Resolving Policy Violations Due to Health Products Issue

Based on the policy violation, you might face product disapproval or account suspension. In most cases, Google issues warnings before suspending an account unless it is a serious violation. The warning period may be for 7 or 28 days. In this section, we will discuss all the steps to take when your products are disapproved and account is suspended.

Fix Product Data

Here’s what Google advises you to follow if your products are disapproved or your account is suspended:

• Review Google Merchant Center health-related policies to understand which types of content is not permitted.
• Make necessary updates to your website. If your ad or listing directs users to content that violates Google’s policies, ensure your website is revised to comply with all applicable requirements.
• Remove any products that violate policies from your product data. 
• If your product data includes items that breach one or more policies, you must exclude those listings from your product feed.
• Update your product data in Google Merchant Center. If you’re using a scheduled automatic upload, you can either wait for the update to occur or manually refresh the data before requesting a review.
• If you sell either Over-the-counter medication, prescription drugs, pet pharmaceuticals, or unapproved supplements, Google has a troubleshooter. It asks you basic questions and gives you tailored troubleshooting tips that might help you understand the issue better and resolve it.

NOTE:

If your account is suspended, 

• Check your account and ensure that all required information is submitted and any pending steps are completed.
• Ensure that your linked or associated account is free of any issues before submitting a review request to the Google Merchant Center.

Apply for the Google Healthcare Certification

To apply for the certification, you must first fill out a form. It looks like this:

Upon selecting your organization, you will need to provide more details, such as Merchant Center ID, Google Ads Customer ID, Target country, etc. Fill out all the details and submit the form.

Before filling out the form, a few things to keep in mind:

• You must follow location-specific restrictions, meaning if Google doesn’t allow promoting certain products in the location you’re targeting, you must refrain from it.
• Fill out all the details in the form to avoid any delays. Especially the Google Ads customer ID.
• If you’re applying for certification on behalf of an advertiser, you must also send relevant documents that establish your relationship.

Important: Google scans your license, accreditation, business registration info, proof of domain ownership and other relevant information to verify if you’re certified to sell certain health-related products. Google either accepts the certificate you submit or checks with that certifier’s database. Additionally, Google inspects the product and landing pages to confirm the business is the same entity that holds the accreditation.

Appeal Policy Decision

There could be some cases where you might have to request a review after you have fixed the issue. You can raise a request within your Google Merchant Center account, by navigating to Needs attention tab under Products section >> click ‘view setup and policy issues.’

After clicking the ‘view setup and policy issues,’ you will be able to perform any of the following actions:

• If you’ve identified and corrected the issue, choose “I fixed the issue” and then select “Request review.”
• If you believe the issue was flagged in error, select “I disagree with the issue” and proceed with “Request review.”
• In certain cases, you may be required to take additional steps, such as linking your Google Ads account or verifying your identity, before you’re able to request a review.
• If you’re unsure about the issue or how to move forward, contact the Google support team for assistance.
  

Important: Please know that even after appealing the policy decision or making necessary changes to your product feed, website, and landing pages, there might be instances where you are unable to recover your account if Google suspends it. Suspending an account permanently is a decision taken by Google Policy team, therefore stay complaint with their policies and guidelines to avoid account suspensions.

Best Practices to Avoid Account Suspension Due to Health Products

• Understand the products Google considers as Healthcare products. For example, Opiod pain killers, over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs, and more are considered health-related products, henceforth Google Merchant Center imposes restrictions on them, which means you should abide the Google’s restrictions and guidelines when promoting such products.
• Only sell products legally approved in your target country, and avoid language that implies medical outcomes or guaranteed results.
  • For example, here’s a question on Google Community from a business owner like you, who experienced an issue known as ‘healthcare forbidden’ that led to account suspension. 
  • Surprisingly, the store owner did not violate policies, but the problem was with the terms and language in the product description. We recommend that you go through the answer if you’re facing a similar situation. We have also summarized the resolution for you if you do not have time to go through it.
    • Do not include any claims, promises, outcomes, or benefits—whether actual or potential.
    • Do not say what the product will do, might do, or could lead to after use.
    • Avoid mentioning how the product makes someone feel, what results to expect, or what happens after application.
    • Exclude promotional language, comparisons, origin stories, shop-related information, or superlatives.
    • Describe only the physical characteristics and usage details of the product.
    • Start with the most important features within the first 150–250 characters.
    • Include real-world specifics: size, material, ingredients, scent, texture, consistency, packaging, and application instructions.
    • Mention any notable properties that affect the product’s usage or function.
    • Include any relevant precautions for handling or storing the product.
• Apply for Google’s healthcare certification as per your organization. For example, you can fix the account suspension issue by promoting restricted drug terms by completing the Google certification and making necessary changes to your ads and destination (landing page).
• Be careful when crafting product titles or descriptions. Do not use misleading terms such as magic pill, instant cure, etc. For example, instead of using a policy-violating title like “Magic Pill for Instant Weight Loss and Perfect Health,” a compliant alternative would be “Ephedra-Free Dietary Supplement for Weight Management.”
• Use relevant and specific product categories for health-related products such as Vitamins & Supplements.
• Ensure the destination URL is compliant with policies. For that:
  • Do not include misleading or aggressive claims on the landing page.
  • Clearly state disclaimers, side effects, and safety information.
  • Do not use pop-ups, forced redirects, or auto-downloads.
  • Ensure SSL/HTTPS is enabled for user security.
  • Ensure the website is mobile-friendly and functional.

Further Reading: Google Shopping feed optimization tips Google Shopping feed requirements and specifications

Conclusion

Getting your Google Merchant Center account suspended due to health-related product violations is a serious issue, but you can avoid it. Here are the key takeaways:

• Google restricts or prohibits health-related products like prescription drugs, supplements, and test kits based on category and target country.
• For restricted products, you must obtain Google Healthcare Certification and third-party accreditation (e.g., LegitScript, NABP).
• Remove prohibited items, update your product data and website for compliance, and request a review via Google Merchant Center.
• Don’t use health claims, outcomes, or promotional terms. Focus only on product features and usage details.
• Check email alerts and your Google Merchant Center account to spot issues early; act within the warning period to avoid full suspension.

FAQs

Why was my Google Merchant Center account suspended due to healthcare products?

Google might suspend your account for selling healthcare products due to policy violations related to prohibited or restricted content. Thoroughly go through Google Merchant Center policies on healthcare and medicine.

What kinds of healthcare products are not allowed on Google Merchant Center?

Prescription drugs, over-the-counter medication, unapproved pharmaceuticals, and opioid painkillers are a few healthcare products that Google Merchant Center restricts from selling. However, they are allowed in a few locations. Go through each one of the policies to learn if you’re eligible to promote such products. 

How can I find out which products caused the suspension?

You can find out by navigating to the Diagnostics page under the account issues section in your Google Merchant Center account.

Can I fix the issues and reinstate my account?

Yes. If you have completed the necessary certification, modified your ads as per the policy guidelines, and fixed the destination, you can submit an appeal and reinstate your account.

How long does it take to get reinstated after submitting a review?

According to some sources, reinstating an account can take up to 5 business days or longer, depending on the type of issue and Google’s team bandwidth.

What should I do if my account is permanently suspended?

Go through Google’s policies, fix the issues in your account, and submit for a re-review.

Can I list health-related products legally on Google Shopping?

Yes, you can. But ensure you’re following the policies as Google poses some restrictions on locations, and medications such as over-the-counter medicines, birth control, etc. 

Can I appeal a suspension related to health-care policy violations?

Yes you can. But before that, ensure you have fixed your destination, ad copies and hold necessary certification to promote such products. You can also appeal the policy decision if you feel Google has suspended your account mistakenly.

Are supplements and vitamins allowed on Google Merchant Center?

Yes, supplements and vitamins are allowed on Google Merchant center with some restrictions. For example, content related to unapproved pharmaceuticals supplements cannot be promoted anywhere.

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