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Microsoft Advertising disapproved our telehealth or pharmacy ads

The notice
Online pharmacies, telemedicine providers that sell prescription drugs, and prescription drug manufacturers must be preapproved in order to serve ads on the Microsoft Advertising network.
On this page

Microsoft Advertising disapproved the ads because telemedicine providers that sell prescription drugs, and online pharmacies, must be preapproved before their ads can serve. In the United States, online pharmacies advertising prescription drugs also need NABP or LegitScript accreditation. On top of that, every health ad on Microsoft has to target users ages 18 and older, avoid targeting by sensitive health information, keep claims substantiated, and keep any clinician endorsement genuine. Start preapproval with Microsoft's Pharmacy and Telemedicine advertiser program form, fix the ads against the healthcare policy, and request an exception for anything you believe complies. Microsoft says most reviews are completed within 48 hours.

Microsoft is one of the channels Curve Compliance supports directly. Curve replaces browser pixels with HIPAA-compliant, server-side conversion tracking to Microsoft Advertising, Google Ads, Meta Conversions API, TikTok and LinkedIn, so your Microsoft campaigns optimize on real patient conversions, and it keeps attribution through booking tools such as IntakeQ, Calendly and Jane. Curve's team does the setup for you, typically live in about a week, with a BAA signed on every plan. Book a call with Curve.

Why Microsoft disapproved the ads

Microsoft's Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Ad Policy says: "Online pharmacies, telemedicine providers that sell prescription drugs, and prescription drug manufacturers must be preapproved in order to serve ads on the Microsoft Advertising network." Online pharmacies and telemedicine providers that sell prescription drugs can advertise only in a listed set of markets, which includes the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. "To start the preapproval process fill out the Pharmacy and Telemedicine advertiser program form."

The US market section adds: "Online pharmacies, including pet pharmacies, that advertise prescription drugs to customers in the United States must be accredited by the National Association Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) or LegitScript." It also says "Prescription drug ads that make a product claim must disclose the risks per The FDA Guidelines." If you are already accredited, Microsoft's note is practical: "If you're using LegitScript, please add the certification badge to the appropriate places on your website and then request an appeal for any existing editorial disapprovals within your account."

Rules every health ad on Microsoft must follow

Beyond preapproval, Microsoft's general healthcare requirements include:

  • "Advertising must target users ages 18+." Set campaign age targeting to 18 and older.
  • "Maintaining current certifications or licenses for each market where their products or services are promoted."
  • "Not targeting consumers based on sensitive health information and complying with Microsoft's Legal, Privacy, and Personalization policies."
  • "Not using imagery or audio that implies endorsement by healthcare professionals unless such endorsement is genuine and properly disclosed. Affiliations with healthcare providers or institutions must be transparent and verifiable."
  • No "Statements that misrepresent regulatory approval or review of a product."
  • No "Before-and-after images that are exaggerated or unrealistic."
  • Claims "supported by credible scientific evidence, including the source and date of the study when applicable."

What Microsoft does not accept at all

Some healthcare offers can't be fixed with preapproval. "Microsoft does not accept ads that promote" "Clinical trials, experimental treatments, or medical research solicitations", "The sale of human organs/tissues", products on its disapproved healthcare products and supplements list, and "Herbal supplements that mimic the effect of illegal substances." Weight loss offers have their own rules; see Microsoft Advertising disapproved our weight loss clinic's ads.

Find the reason and fix it

  1. In Microsoft Advertising, go to Campaigns, choose Ads & extensions or Keywords, and under the Delivery column "hover over the status to view the details." Components that fail review "receive either Disapproved or Approved Limited status."
  2. If you sell prescription drugs through telehealth, submit the Pharmacy and Telemedicine advertiser program form and have your accreditation ready.
  3. Fix what the healthcare policy flags: age targeting that reaches users under 18, sensitive health targeting, unsupported claims, implied clinician endorsements, and exaggerated before-and-after images.
  4. Edit the ad and select Save. "We will perform a new editorial review on the updated ad." Once ads serve, Curve Compliance sends Microsoft Advertising conversions server-side and flags PHI-like patterns, such as a condition name in a URL, before data reaches Microsoft.
  5. If you believe the ad complies, hover over the disapproved status, select "Request an exception for this ad/keyword", and explain in "Tell us your reason for requesting an exception". The status changes to "Exception under review", and "most reviews are completed within 48 hours."

Running the same offer on Google

Google has its own certification for prescription drug services, and its enforcement for pharmacy offers can be stricter than a disapproval. If your Google account has been flagged too, read Google Ads unauthorized pharmacy suspension and Google's Healthcare and medicines disapprovals.

Talk to Curve

Once your Microsoft campaigns are approved, give them the conversion data they need to find patients. Curve's team sets up HIPAA-compliant, server-side conversions to Microsoft Advertising in place of browser pixels, with PHI-like patterns detected before data reaches an ad platform, identifiers SHA-256 hashed to Microsoft's requirements, neutral event names and consent management. It is typically live in about a week, with a BAA signed on every plan. Book a call with Curve.

How Curve helps

  • Curve sends HIPAA-compliant, server-side conversions to Microsoft Advertising in place of browser pixels, alongside Google Ads, Meta Conversions API, TikTok and LinkedIn.
  • Curve detects PHI-like patterns before data reaches an ad platform, and hashes identifiers with SHA-256 to each platform's requirements.
  • Curve uses neutral event names and includes consent management.
  • Curve keeps attribution through booking tools such as IntakeQ, Calendly and Jane.
  • Curve signs a BAA on every plan, with setup done for you by Curve's team, typically live in about a week.
  • Microsoft does not sign a BAA for Microsoft Advertising (Microsoft Advertising in the BAA Directory), so nothing sent to Microsoft Advertising should carry health information.

Frequently asked questions

Does a telehealth company need preapproval on Microsoft Advertising?

If it sells prescription drugs, yes. Microsoft says telemedicine providers that sell prescription drugs "must be preapproved in order to serve ads on the Microsoft Advertising network", starting with the Pharmacy and Telemedicine advertiser program form. Once preapproved, Curve Compliance credits bookings made in tools such as IntakeQ, Calendly and Jane to the Microsoft ad that sent them.

Does Microsoft require LegitScript or NABP in the US?

For online pharmacies that advertise prescription drugs to US customers, yes: they "must be accredited by the National Association Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) or LegitScript." If you use LegitScript, add the badge to your site and then request an appeal for existing disapprovals.

What does Approved Limited mean on Microsoft Advertising?

It is one of the two statuses for components that don't fully pass editorial review, alongside Disapproved. Microsoft notes it can also mean the ad or keyword was still pending review in one or more of your targeted locations.

How long does a Microsoft exception request take?

Microsoft says most reviews are completed within 48 hours. While it runs, the status shows Exception under review, and Microsoft emails you the outcome.

How does Curve help on Microsoft Advertising?

Curve's team sets up HIPAA-compliant, server-side conversions to Microsoft Advertising with PHI-like pattern detection and SHA-256 hashing, keeps attribution through your booking tool, and signs a BAA on every plan. Book a call with Curve.

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