Google’s policy change comes as both countries expand their digital healthcare sectors, with regulatory and market shifts reshaping telemedicine and online prescribing
PORTLAND, Ore.--BUSINESS WIRE--
LegitScript, the leader in merchant and product certification and monitoring in the advertising, e-commerce, and payment sectors, today announced an expanded partnership with Google to certify pharmacies in India and telemedicine providers in New Zealand. The policy update allows eligible businesses to advertise on Google Ads using LegitScript Healthcare Certification, and LegitScript-certified organizations will be able to apply for Google certification once the platform’s policy updates in April.
The expansion comes at a timely moment for providers and patients as telehealth and online pharmacy adoption accelerate across both regions:
- In India, the online pharmacy market is projected to reach over $14 billion by 2034, driven by rising smartphone adoption, improved internet access, and growing demand for convenient, at-home care.
- In New Zealand, approximately 1.2 million Kiwis now utilize telehealth services, a 30% increase over the past five years (Ministry of Health).
- This surge is further supported by New Zealand’s Medicines Amendment Act 2025, which introduced a streamlined “verification pathway” for medicine approvals and expanded the prescribing rights of nurse practitioners and pharmacists.
Together, these shifts increase care access and the need for safeguards that help ensure patients are engaging with compliant providers online. LegitScript Certification provides a verified pathway for providers to differentiate themselves on Google’s advertising platforms by conducting a rigorous, independent review of their licensure, prescribing practices, patient privacy protections, and advertising transparency, reinforcing patient trust and ensuring alignment with current regulatory standards before reaching patients online.
“Healthcare is a complex, rapidly evolving field, and providers need clear frameworks to demonstrate compliance, build credibility, and grow responsibly,” said Angela Salter, VP of Enterprise Certification Sales at LegitScript. “Our continued collaboration with Google helps ensure that certified providers in India and New Zealand can reach patients through trusted advertising platforms while maintaining transparency and good practices.”
LegitScript’s Healthcare Certification provides a trusted pathway for healthcare businesses to help demonstrate compliance and transparency with regulators, the public, and third-party partners. LegitScript Certification is recognized within the approval process for conducting card-not-present transactions with Visa and Mastercard, and it is a requirement for many online platforms. Google’s policy update now makes it possible for India-based pharmacies and New Zealand-based telemedicine providers to expand their reach by advertising on the world’s most popular online ad platform.
“For nearly 20 years, we’ve seen the demand for trusted healthcare certification grow as telehealth expands globally, building our deep expertise in navigating complex regulatory environments,” said Jaylene Kunze, Chief Operating & Financial Officer at LegitScript. “In the past year alone, LegitScript has seen a 103% increase in certified healthcare organizations. Our advanced technology, proprietary data, and human expertise combine to help platforms and providers from around the world navigate the latest healthcare regulations.”
To learn more about LegitScript’s Healthcare Certification program and begin the application process, download the application checklist for India here and New Zealand here and visit: https://www.legitscript.com/certification/healthcare-certification/
For more details on Google’s advertising policies and to stay up to date with changes, visit the Google Ad Policy Change Log homepage.
About LegitScript
LegitScript, the global leader in Enterprise Risk Management and Certification solutions, is trusted by the world’s largest search engines, e-commerce marketplaces, payment service providers, and social media platforms. By combining advanced, AI-driven technology with deep domain expertise and curated market intelligence, LegitScript empowers businesses to stay ahead of emerging threats and seize new growth opportunities with precision and speed. Our global team of regulatory experts and analysts is skilled at understanding global regulatory changes and assessing risk across products, websites, merchants, and platforms, providing clients with unmatched accuracy, actionable insights, and exceptional support.
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