Google to Resume Accepting Ads From Addiction Treatment Centers

Google will once again accept advertising from U.S. addiction treatment centers, Reuters reports. A company based in Portland, Oregon will vet the ads. Last year, Google suspended treatment center ads after it was found many of them were deceptive and misleading.

The company vetting the ads, LegitScript, will evaluate treatment centers based on 15 criteria, including criminal background checks and license and insurance verification. The centers must also provide “written policies and procedures demonstrating a commitment to best practices, effective recovery and continuous improvement.”

Marcia Lee Taylor, Chief Policy Officer of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, told Reuters earlier efforts to certify treatment services have been unsuccessful because there was no “business incentive to answer all these invasive questions.” Tying access to Google–the world’s largest online advertising system–to certification makes applying worthwhile, she said.