LegitScript and Google on April 8, 2026, announced an expanded partnership that adds pharmacies in India and telemedicine providers in New Zealand to the list of healthcare businesses eligible to advertise on Google Ads. The expansion, announced from Portland, Oregon, follows a pattern of country-by-country policy updates that has steadily extended Google's healthcare certification framework across multiple continents since 2023.

Under the new arrangement, eligible businesses in both markets can apply for Google Ads certification once Google updates its platform policy in April 2026. The gateway is LegitScript's Healthcare Merchant Certification program, which serves as the independent verification layer between healthcare providers and the advertising platform.

What the certification covers

The LegitScript certification process is not a simple registration. According to the press release, it requires an intensive, independent analysis of provider and pharmacy licensure, prescribing practices, patient privacy protections, and advertising transparency. That scope means a telemedicine clinic in Auckland or an online pharmacy in Mumbai must open its operations to external scrutiny before a single ad can run.

LegitScript's position in the broader ecosystem adds weight to this requirement. The organization is recognized by Visa and Mastercard for conducting card-not-present transactions - a designation that reflects its role not just as an advertising gatekeeper but as a compliance authority within financial networks. Its certification and monitoring services are also used by social media platforms, marketplaces, and payment providers beyond Google.

The company reported that in the past year alone, it has seen a 103% increase in certified healthcare organizations. "For nearly 20 years, we've seen the demand for trusted healthcare certification grow as telehealth expands globally, and LegitScript has continually built our deep expertise in navigating complex regulatory environments," said Jaylene Kunze, Chief Operating and Financial Officer at LegitScript. "Our advanced technology, proprietary data, and human expertise combine to help platforms and providers from around the world navigate the latest healthcare regulations."

The market context in India

India's online pharmacy sector is large and growing fast. According to the press release, the market is projected to exceed $14 billion by 2034, driven by rising smartphone adoption, improved internet connectivity, and growing demand for convenient at-home care. That trajectory makes India a significant addition to the certification program - and raises the stakes for compliance.

Pharmacies operating in India that want to reach patients through Google Search will now need to work through the LegitScript application process. The application checklist specific to India is available through LegitScript's website. Once certified by LegitScript, those pharmacies can then apply for Google's own platform certification.

The restriction on direct prescription drug promotion in ad copy remains in place. As has been consistent across every market where Google has expanded healthcare advertising, the ads can promote the service - not specific medications.

The regulatory backdrop in New Zealand

New Zealand's inclusion follows notable domestic policy changes. According to the press release, approximately 1.2 million people in New Zealand now use telehealth services, representing a 30% increase over the past five years, based on Ministry of Health data. That growth has coincided with the passage of New Zealand's Medicines Amendment Act 2025, which introduced a streamlined "verification pathway" for medicine approvals and expanded prescribing rights for nurse practitioners and pharmacists.

Those regulatory changes created new categories of providers who are now legally permitted to prescribe remotely - and who need a compliant path to reach patients digitally. The Google and LegitScript expansion addresses exactly that gap.

"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."

Where this fits in Google's broader healthcare policy history

This announcement does not arrive in isolation. Google has been methodically extending healthcare advertising permissions since at least 2023, always using LegitScript certification as a central requirement. The pattern is well-documented on PPC Land.

In October 2023, Google permitted telemedicine advertising in France for LegitScript-certified providers, marking one of the earliest country-level expansions under the current framework. That update prohibited prescription drug promotion in ad copy and landing pages - a restriction that has remained consistent across every subsequent market.

In March 2024, Google extended healthcare advertising options to Belgium and South Africa, with South African telemedicine providers specifically required to hold LegitScript accreditation. Belgium took a different path, with online pharmacies qualifying through registration with the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products.

A month later, in April 2024, Google updated its Healthcare and Medicines Policy for Australian advertisers, with the new requirements taking effect on May 23, 2024. That update required both online pharmacies and telemedicine providers to be certified through LegitScript, while also offering an alternative for pharmacies in certain Australian states through registration with the relevant regulatory authority. A 90-day grace period was provided for existing advertisers.

November 2024 brought another expansion, when Google announced that licensed online pharmacies and telemedicine providers in Japan would be permitted to promote prescription drug services starting January 2025. That update established two distinct qualification pathways for Japanese online pharmacies - either a valid pharmacy license with active registration with Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, or LegitScript certification.

By June 2025, Google announced that the United Kingdom and Singapore would be added to the framework, with the policy taking effect in July 2025. UK telemedicine providers required LegitScript accreditation, while Singapore-based providers operated through the Healthcare Services Act framework.

October 2025 saw a different kind of update - not a new country but a structural change. Google revised its prescription drug advertising policy for Canada, New Zealand, and the United States, establishing distinct frameworks for those three markets and allowing certified advertisers to use prescription drug terms in promotional content - a notable loosening from the blanket prohibition that applies elsewhere.

Then in December 2025, Google announced that Authorized Buyers on its programmatic platform would gain the ability to promote prescription drugs without requiring Google certification, creating a divergence between the direct Google Ads channel - which still requires certification - and the programmatic buying side.

The current market list

With the April 2026 additions, the markets where LegitScript certification is recognized by Google for healthcare advertising now span a substantial portion of the globe. According to the press release, the existing certified markets include the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, and South Africa. India and New Zealand join that list once Google's platform policy updates in April.

This aligns with PPC Land's tracking of Google's overall healthcare advertising policy, which noted that prescription drug service promotion is permitted in a range of markets including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and others - a list that will now formally extend to cover India-based pharmacies and New Zealand-based telemedicine providers under the new terms.

What this means for healthcare advertisers

For pharmacies in India and telemedicine providers in New Zealand, the immediate practical question is whether the certification process is worth undertaking. The answer depends on business size, regulatory standing, and advertising ambitions. The certification is not instantaneous - it involves documentation of licensure, prescribing practices, privacy policies, and advertising content - and it comes with ongoing monitoring obligations.

The recognition by Visa and Mastercard is relevant for businesses that process online payments. LegitScript's certification in those financial networks means that a certified provider gains a compliance signal that extends beyond advertising into payment processing.

For advertisers and agencies that handle healthcare accounts, the India expansion is particularly significant given the size of that market and the scale of the digital health sector there. A $14 billion online pharmacy market by 2034 represents substantial ad inventory potential - but only for providers who have cleared the certification hurdle.

The restriction on direct prescription drug promotion in ads remains a key operational constraint. As has been the case across every market where Google has opened healthcare advertising, providers can market their services and platforms but cannot name specific drugs in ad copy or on landing pages.

Timeline

Summary

Who: LegitScript, a Portland, Oregon-based merchant and product certification company, and Google announced the expanded partnership. The update affects pharmacies operating in India and telemedicine providers operating in New Zealand that seek to advertise on Google Ads.

What: Google's Healthcare and Medicines Policy will be updated in April 2026 to allow eligible businesses in India (pharmacies) and New Zealand (telemedicine providers) to advertise on Google Ads, provided they hold LegitScript Healthcare Merchant Certification. The certification requires independent review of licensure, prescribing practices, patient privacy protections, and advertising transparency. Direct promotion of prescription drugs in ad copy and landing pages remains prohibited.

When: The partnership expansion was announced on April 8, 2026. Google's platform policy update is expected in April 2026, at which point LegitScript-certified organizations will be able to apply for Google certification.

Where: The policy change affects India-based pharmacies and New Zealand-based telemedicine providers. LegitScript is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The announcement aligns both markets with existing certified markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, and South Africa.

Why: India's online pharmacy market is projected to exceed $14 billion by 2034, and approximately 1.2 million people in New Zealand now use telehealth services - a 30% increase over five years. New Zealand's Medicines Amendment Act 2025 expanded prescribing rights for nurse practitioners and pharmacists, creating a larger pool of providers with a need for compliant digital advertising channels. The certification framework is intended to ensure that patients encounter only verified, compliant providers when engaging with healthcare advertising on Google's platforms.

The expansion also raises questions about enforcement. Google's established approach across prior market entries includes a progressive warning system - advertisers receive at least seven days' notice before any account suspension. That structure, consistent since the Australian rollout in May 2024, gives providers a window to correct violations rather than facing abrupt removal. Whether similar timelines will apply to the India and New Zealand markets has not been specified in the press release, but there is no indication the standard would change.

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