Learn What’s Changing For Meta’s Health Ads In 2025

Marketers and business owners using digital marketing as a tool already know how frequently Facebook or Meta’s advertising rules can change.

In 2025, if you are in the health and wellness space, Meta is tightening up its policies even more. Meta has rolled out new restrictions on health product ads, affecting everything from how your ads reach customers to what kind of tracking you can use.

So, what does this mean for your brand? And more importantly, how can you stay compliant while still running high-performing campaigns?

Let’s explore.

What Types Of Health Products Are Now Restricted?

Meta has flagged several health-related product categories that face stricter advertising rules, including:

• Dietary supplements: Vitamins, protein powders, and nutrition boosters.
• Weight loss products: Fat burners, meal replacements, and metabolism boosters.
• Fitness and health gadgets: Wearable tech, workout equipment, and recovery tools.
• Medications: Both prescription and over-the-counter treatments.
• Skincare with medical claims: Products that promise to “treat” or “heal” skin conditions.
• Mental health support products: Supplements or tools marketed for mood, stress, or cognitive health.
• Herbal remedies: Any natural product making health benefit claims.

Facebook’s New Advertising Restrictions for 2025

Meta’s new rules impact how brands track, target, and optimise health product ads. Currently, the three biggest changes are:

Some Key Conversion Events Are No Longer Available

If you have been using “Purchase”, “Add to Cart”, or “Subscribe” events to track campaign success, you’ll need a new approach. Meta has removed these tracking options for health product ads, so you will have to rely on Landing Page Views, Engagement, and Clicks instead. While these still provide insights, they don’t measure direct conversions as effectively.

Health Ads Are Now in a “Sensitive” Category

Facebook has classified health-related ads as “Sensitive Category Ads”, which means:

• Your audience reach may be more limited than before
• Detailed targeting options (like specific health conditions or interests) might not be available

This makes it harder to get your ads in front of the right people, which could impact ad performance.

AI is Now Reviewing Your Ads – And It’s Not Perfect

Meta’s AI-powered review system is doing most of the ad approvals now, and mistakes happen.

Your ad could get flagged or restricted – even if it follows the rules – simply because the system misunderstood your content. This is especially risky for fitness brands, nutrition products, and general wellness items, which may get misclassified.

Additionally, you’ll also need to avoid banned phrases that regulators like the FDA disapprove of. Words such as:

• “Best”
• “No side effects”
• “Guaranteed”
• “Fast results”

Using these words in your copy could lead to automatic disapproval, so it’s important to check your advertising content carefully.

Advertising Restrictions For Health Products on Facebook

How These Changes Will Affect Your Ads

These new policies could have a big impact on how health brands run Facebook ads, including:

• Tracking performance becomes trickier. Without “Purchase” or “Add to Cart” data, measuring your campaign’s success will be more challenging.
• Ad reach is more limited. You’ll likely see a drop in visibility and engagement, especially for high-intent buyers.
• Ad disapprovals may increase. Since AI is handling reviews right now, there’s a higher risk of mistakes, meaning even fully compliant ads might get blocked.

How to Adapt And Keep Your Ads Running Smoothly

The good news? You can work around these restrictions with the right approach.

Here’s how to future-proof your ad strategy:

• Use alternative tracking methods: Shift to Landing Page Views, Engagement, and Clicks instead of Purchase tracking.
• Prioritise trust-building content: Focus on educational posts, expert insights, and real customer testimonials instead of direct sales pitches.
• Monitor your ads regularly: Keep an eye on Events Manager to spot issues early and tweak your campaign setup as needed.
• Expand beyond Facebook: Diversify with Google Ads, TikTok Ads, and email marketing to avoid relying too much on Meta’s rules.
• Challenge unfair ad restrictions: If your ad is wrongly flagged, submit a review request through Facebook Business Support.

Don’t Let These Changes Hold Your Brand Back

Meta’s new ad policies might feel like a setback, but with the right strategy, you can stay ahead of the curve.

By adjusting your approach, using alternative tracking methods, and diversifying your marketing mix, your brand can continue to reach the right audience and drive strong results – without getting caught up in Facebook’s new restrictions.

Need Expert Help Navigating These Changes?

At Primal, we help brands like yours adapt and thrive – even with the ever-changing ad rules or algorithm shifts. Our performance marketing specialists design powerful Facebook ad campaigns that are compliant, high-impact, and results-driven.

Get in touch today, and let’s build a strategy that keeps your brand growing – no matter what Meta throws your way.