Creative Pre-Check

Will this ad pass review?

Paste one ad. See the flags a Meta, Google or TikTok reviewer would raise before you spend a dollar finding out, with the rule behind each flag and the rewrite that passes.

Runs in your browser against the 11 rules listed below: personal attributes, prescription-drug naming, before-and-after limits, weight claims, guarantees, FDA claims and more. Nothing is stored unless you ask us to email the report.

Your flags appear here: what a reviewer would reject, what they would question, and what already passes.

The rule library

The 11 rules the pre-check runs.

Each rule quotes the platform or regulator text it mirrors, with a link and the date we read it (October 5, 2026), plus one ad line that fits the rule and one that breaks it. Our own stricter house rules are listed separately at the end, because they are our choice, not a platform's.

  1. 01Rejects the adMeta · Google · TikTok

    Names a prescription drug or compound

    What it catches
    Brand and generic names of GLP-1s, testosterone and other men's health drugs, hair-loss drugs, ketamine, ADHD stimulants and common peptides.
    Why it fails
    Naming a prescription drug turns the ad into prescription-drug promotion. Each platform gates that differently, and none lets an uncertified telehealth brand do it.
    By platform, as of October 2026
    • Meta: Online pharmacies and telehealth providers need active LegitScript certification and Meta's authorization, and may target only adults 18+ in the US, Canada or New Zealand.
    • Google: In the US, since October 29, 2025, any advertiser may name a prescription drug in ad text and on the landing page without certification. Keyword-targeting the name needs Google's certification, and telemedicine providers and online pharmacies need certification before prescription-drug ads serve.
    • TikTok: In the US, prescription medicine ads may be allowed with proof of FDA approval and certification, shown to 18+ only. Compounded and unapproved products can't qualify.
    The fix
    Until you hold LegitScript and each platform's authorization, name the program, the visit or the clinic, not the drug. An in-person clinic on Google may name the drug in US ad text, but can't bid on it as a keyword without certification.

    Fits the ruleDoctor-led weight care, online. Medication only if your provider says it's right for you.

    Breaks the ruleGet semaglutide shipped to your door this week.

    The rule, quoted

    • “actively certified with LegitScript”

      Meta: Drugs and pharmaceuticals · read October 5, 2026

    • “While you don't need to be certified in order to use prescription drug terms in ads and landing pages, you must be certified in order to keyword-target these terms.”

      Google: Restricted drug terms · read October 5, 2026

    • “Provide proof of approval and certification from appropriate local regional regulating authorities, such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)”

      TikTok: Healthcare and pharmaceuticals (US) · read October 5, 2026

  2. 02Rejects the adMeta

    Asserts or implies a personal health attribute

    What it catches
    Second-person questions and statements about the reader's weight, mood, hair, sexual health or diagnosis: "Do you have…", "Tired of your…", "Your anxiety…".
    Why it fails
    Meta's personal attributes policy bars ads that imply the viewer has a condition. It's the most common healthcare rejection on Meta.
    The fix
    Speak about the treatment or the brand, never the reader. Symptom questions can live on the landing page.

    Fits the ruleDepression counseling, online and private.

    Breaks the ruleDepression getting you down? Get help now.

    The rule, quoted

  3. 03Likely flaggedMetaConditional on Meta since 2026-07-22

    Before-and-after with a timed promise or fat-pinching

    What it catches
    Transformation copy tied to a deadline ("her 30-day transformation"), fat-pinching close-ups, and from-bad-to-good body framing. Before-and-after on its own is not a platform violation on Meta for 18+ cosmetic and weight-loss ads.
    Why it fails
    Meta lets 18+ cosmetic ads show before-and-after, and since July 22, 2026 it no longer bans before-and-after comparisons in 18+ weight-loss ads or for Botox and filler results. It still rejects statements of inferiority, close-ups pinching fat, and promises of specific outcomes within a set time.
    The fix
    Target 18+, drop the deadline and the body criticism, and add a results-vary line. Show the process, not a countdown.

    Fits the ruleA patient's before-and-after, shown to adults 18+, captioned "Individual results vary."

    Breaks the ruleHer 30-day transformation. See the before and after.

    The rule, quoted

  4. 04Likely flaggedMeta · Google

    Specific or unrealistic weight-loss claim

    What it catches
    Pounds or percentages promised, often by a date: "lose 20 lbs", "10 lbs in 4 weeks", "melt fat", "drop a dress size".
    Why it fails
    Meta bars promises of specific outcomes within a set timeframe in weight-loss ads. Google disapproves claims that present an improbable result as the likely outcome.
    The fix
    Replace numbers with the care: "physician-supervised", "weekly check-ins", "medication if appropriate".

    Fits the rulePhysician-supervised weight care with weekly check-ins.

    Breaks the ruleLose 20 lbs in 8 weeks.

    The rule, quoted

    • “promises of specific outcomes within a set timeframe”

      Meta: Health and wellness · read October 5, 2026

    • “Making inaccurate claims or claims that entice the user with an improbable result (even if this result is possible) as the likely outcome a user can expect is not allowed.”

      Google: Misrepresentation (unreliable claims) · read October 5, 2026

  5. 05Rejects the adMeta · Google

    Guarantees, cures or absolute claims

    What it catches
    "Guaranteed", "cure", "miracle", "100% effective", "clinically proven", "no side effects", and timed outcomes such as "feel like yourself again in 30 days".
    Why it fails
    A guaranteed outcome is an unreliable claim on Google and an exaggerated health claim on Meta. In healthcare it also invites account-level review.
    The fix
    Remove guarantees. Say what the program includes and add "individual results vary".

    Fits the ruleCare plans built by licensed providers. Individual results vary.

    Breaks the ruleGuaranteed results or your money back. No side effects.

    The rule, quoted

    • “Making inaccurate claims or claims that entice the user with an improbable result (even if this result is possible) as the likely outcome a user can expect is not allowed.”

      Google: Misrepresentation (unreliable claims) · read October 5, 2026

    • “sensational language with exaggerated or extreme claims”

      Meta: Health and wellness · read October 5, 2026

  6. 06Rejects the adMeta · Google

    FDA-approval claim for a compounded or unapproved product

    What it catches
    "FDA-approved", "FDA-cleared" or "FDA-certified", unless the copy says the product is not.
    Why it fails
    Compounded drugs and research peptides are not FDA-approved. FDA's 2026 warning letters to telehealth companies cite exactly this claim, and the platforms treat it as misleading.
    The fix
    Say what is true: "Compounded by a licensed 503A pharmacy. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved." Never imply a compounded drug is the branded one.

    Fits the ruleCompounded by a licensed 503A pharmacy. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved.

    Breaks the ruleFDA-approved weight loss shots, same as the brand name.

    The rule, quoted

  7. 07Likely flaggedMeta

    Idealized-body or shaming language

    What it catches
    Words that attack appearance or sell a body type: "muffin top", "flabby", "beach body", "look 10 years younger".
    Why it fails
    Meta's health and wellness policy bars statements of inferiority about physical appearance in weight-loss and cosmetic ads.
    The fix
    Talk about health, care and convenience, not looks.

    Fits the ruleCare that fits your schedule and your goals.

    Breaks the ruleDitch the muffin top before beach season.

    The rule, quoted

  8. 08Likely flaggedMeta · Google

    Price attached to a prescription product

    What it catches
    A dollar amount within a few words of a drug name, "prescription", "injections" or "meds".
    Why it fails
    A priced prescription reads as an online-pharmacy offer. That puts the ad under the prescription-drug rules on Meta and Google, which need certification first.
    The fix
    Price the program or the visit, not the medication.

    Fits the ruleVisits from $49. Medication, if prescribed, is priced separately.

    Breaks the ruleWeight loss injections, just $199 a month.

    The rule, quoted

  9. 09Rejects the adMeta · Google

    Controlled or scheduled substance

    What it catches
    Psychedelics, cannabis and THC, stimulants such as Adderall, benzodiazepines and opioids.
    Why it fails
    Meta bars ads that sell or encourage illicit, recreational or potentially unsafe drugs. Google bars opioid painkiller ads and a list of unapproved substances outright.
    The fix
    Advertise the clinic and a consultation. Never the substance.

    Fits the ruleBook a consultation with a licensed psychiatric clinic.

    Breaks the rulePsilocybin sessions now booking. Feel the difference.

    The rule, quoted

  10. 10Worth fixingMeta · GoogleMedScale review flag

    Pressure or scarcity tactics on a medical decision

    What it catches
    "Only 3 spots left", "act now", "limited time", "last chance", "hurry".
    Why it fails
    No platform names scarcity as a violation on its own. Reviewers read pressure on a medical decision as sensational, and it often rides along with the claims that do get rejected.
    The fix
    State availability plainly. "Consults available this week" is fine.

    Fits the ruleConsults available this week.

    Breaks the ruleOnly 3 spots left! Act now.

    The rule, quoted

  11. 11Likely flaggedMeta · Google

    Testimonial implying a medical outcome

    What it catches
    First-person results: "I lost…", "changed my life", "it worked for me", "my doctor cured…".
    Why it fails
    A results testimonial is read as a claim that most patients get that result. The FTC requires proof that it's typical, and the platforms review it like any other health claim.
    The fix
    Keep testimonials to the experience of care, not the result.

    Fits the rule"Booking was easy and my provider explained every option."

    Breaks the rule"I lost 40 pounds. It changed my life."

    The rule, quoted

    • “If the advertiser does not have substantiation that the endorser's experience is representative of what consumers will generally achieve, the advertisement should clearly and conspicuously disclose the generally expected performance in the depicted circumstances”

      FTC Endorsement Guides, 16 CFR 255.2 · read October 5, 2026

House rules

Where we are stricter than the platforms.

  • MedScale house rule: no before-and-after

    Meta allows before-and-after in 18+ cosmetic ads, and in 18+ weight-loss ads since July 22, 2026. We still don't run it in ads we manage. That's our choice, stricter than Meta's rule, because one bad crop or a missing qualifier is all it takes to cross the lines Meta still enforces.

    The pre-check shows it as a note. It never changes the score or the verdict.

How Meta, Google and TikTok differHealth ad policy changelogAd rejected? Appeal templates

Common questions

Is the healthcare ad pre-check free, and is my ad copy stored?
Yes, it's free, and it runs in your browser. Nothing is stored unless you ask us to email the report. Then we receive your email, any company name you add, the score, the flags and the first 600 characters of the ad.
Does a clean result mean my ad will be approved?
No. The pre-check reads ad copy only. Reviewers also judge the image or video, the landing page, your certification status and the account's history, and the platform makes the final decision. A clean result means the copy avoids the patterns these 11 rules look for.
Can I use before-and-after images in Meta ads?
As of October 2026, yes, within limits. Meta allows before-and-after in cosmetic procedure ads and lets weight-loss ads show people using the product and its impact, both targeted to adults 18+, and since July 22, 2026 it no longer bans before-and-after comparisons in weight-loss ads or for Botox and filler results. Meta still rejects statements of inferiority about appearance, close-ups pinching fat, and promises of specific outcomes within a set timeframe. MedScale's own house rule is stricter: we run no before-and-after in the ads we manage.
Can a telehealth brand name the drug in a Google ad?
Not without certification. As of October 2026, Google lets US advertisers name prescription drugs in ad text and on landing pages without certification, but keyword-targeting a drug name needs Google's certification, and telemedicine providers and online pharmacies need certification before prescription-drug ads serve. An in-person clinic can name the drug in ad text; a telehealth prescriber needs LegitScript and Google's certification first.

From the answers library

Ad copy that passes review.

More answers on this

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