Starting November 11, 2024, Google is updating its advertising guidelines to allow certain sexual health and wellness products on its platforms. This new policy enables advertisers to promote personal lubricants and prescription medications for erectile dysfunction (ED) and hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) on the Google Display Network and YouTube, under specific guidelines to ensure respectful, targeted advertising.

Key points of the policy:

• Age restrictions: Ads must be targeted only to users aged 18 and over.
• Respectful promotion: Ads cannot focus on sexual pleasure or enhancement, nor use suggestive themes or imagery.
• Certification & compliance: Advertisers need healthcare product certification to include prescription drug terms and must comply with country-specific regulations and laws in targeted regions.
• Country-specific permissions:
  
  – Personal lubricants: Allowed in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Portugal, New Zealand, Spain, the UK, and the US.
  – Prescription drugs for ED & HSDD: Permitted only in Canada, New Zealand, and the US, and only by certified pharmaceutical manufacturers and certified prescription drug service advertisers.

Google will begin enforcing this policy on November 11, 2024, with a gradual increase in enforcement over the following 10 weeks.

For more details, read Google’s full announcement here.