How to comply with Meta's tracking restrictions for healthcare advertisers in 2025

In 2025, Meta introduced strict tracking restrictions for healthcare advertisers, particularly in the European Union (EU), to safeguard sensitive health information in line with privacy laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These changes limit how healthcare advertisers can track and optimize campaigns, posing significant challenges. Fortunately, tools like Able CDP offer a way to comply with these restrictions while still running effective ad campaigns. This article explores Meta’s restrictions and provides a step-by-step guide on using Able CDP to navigate them.

Understanding Meta’s restrictions for healthcare advertisers

Meta’s 2025 restrictions aim to prevent the collection and use of sensitive health data. Here’s a breakdown of the key limitations:

• No Web Activity Tracking: Meta prohibits the use of web activity data (e.g., page views, leads, or sales) for conversion tracking or optimization. Tools like Meta Pixel cannot track on-site actions.

• No Custom Audiences from Website Activity: Advertisers cannot create custom audiences or retarget users based on their website behavior, such as visiting a health service page.

• No Custom Parameters or URL Data: Meta disallows custom parameters and URL details to avoid sharing sensitive information.

• No Lookalike Audiences from Health Data: Creating lookalike audiences based on health-related website visitors is not allowed.

• Limited Event Optimization: Optimization for mid- or lower-funnel events (e.g., leads, form submissions, purchases) is restricted. Only top-of-funnel campaigns (e.g., awareness, traffic) are permitted, with strict data limitations.

These rules stem from GDPR and similar regulations, ensuring healthcare advertisers prioritize privacy and minimize data breaches.

Regional variations in Meta's healthcare advertising restrictions

While Meta's healthcare advertising restrictions are most stringent in the EU due to GDPR, the implementation varies significantly across different regions:

European Union (EU)

• Strictest enforcement: All restrictions mentioned above apply fully
• No exceptions: Even with user consent, health data tracking remains prohibited
• Penalties: Non-compliance can result in immediate ad account suspension and potential GDPR fines

United States

• California (CCPA/CPRA): Similar restrictions to EU, though slightly less stringent
• States with health privacy laws (e.g., Washington, Nevada): Moderate restrictions on health data collection
• Other states: Basic restrictions apply, but more flexibility in tracking with proper consent
• HIPAA considerations: Healthcare providers must ensure compliance with HIPAA alongside Meta's policies

United Kingdom

• Post-Brexit alignment: UK maintains EU-level restrictions despite Brexit
• UK GDPR: Mirrors EU GDPR requirements for health data
• ICO oversight: Information Commissioner's Office actively monitors compliance

Canada

• PIPEDA compliance: Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act governs health data
• Provincial variations: Quebec has stricter rules similar to EU standards
• Moderate restrictions: More flexible than EU but stricter than most US states

Australia

• Privacy Act considerations: Healthcare advertisers must comply with Australian Privacy Principles
• My Health Records Act: Additional restrictions for healthcare providers accessing national health records
• Moderate enforcement: Less stringent than EU but increasing in strictness

Asia-Pacific Region

• Singapore: Strict enforcement similar to EU standards under PDPA
  Japan: Moderate restrictions with focus on consent mechanisms
  India: Emerging regulations with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act
  Other markets: Varying levels of restriction, generally less stringent than Western markets

Best practices for global healthcare advertisers

• Apply strictest standards globally: Use EU-level compliance as your baseline
• Geo-targeted campaigns: Adjust tracking methods based on user location
• Regular compliance audits: Stay updated on regional regulatory changes
• Legal consultation: Work with local legal experts in each market

Timeline and notification process

Meta began implementing these healthcare tracking restrictions through a phased approach:

Initial rollout (June 2025)

• June 1, 2025: Meta started sending email notifications to healthcare advertisers in the EU whose ad accounts were flagged for healthcare-related content
• June 15, 2025: First wave of restrictions applied to accounts that received notifications
• 30-day grace period: Advertisers had 30 days from notification to comply before enforcement

Notification details

Healthcare advertisers received notifications through multiple channels:

• Email alerts: Sent to the primary email associated with the ad account
• Business Manager notifications: Displayed prominently in the Meta Business Suite
• Ads Manager warnings: Yellow warning banners appeared when creating or editing campaigns

The notifications included:

• Specific restrictions applicable to the account
• Deadline for compliance
• Links to Meta's healthcare advertising policy documentation
• Instructions for appealing if incorrectly categorized

Enforcement phases

Phase 1 (June-July 2025):

• Restrictions on new campaigns only
• Existing campaigns could continue running with warnings

Phase 2 (August 2025):

• All campaigns required compliance
• Non-compliant campaigns were automatically paused
• Custom audiences based on health data were disabled

Phase 3 (September 2025 - ongoing):

• Full enforcement across all EU healthcare advertisers
• Quarterly reviews of account classifications
• Automated detection of potential policy violations

Appeal process

If your account was incorrectly classified as healthcare:

1. Submit an appeal through Business Manager within 30 days
2. Provide documentation proving non-healthcare status
3. Expect review within 5-7 business days
4. Continue operating under restrictions during review

How Able CDP helps you comply

Able CDP is a server-side tracking solution that enables healthcare advertisers to work within Meta’s restrictions while still measuring campaign performance. Here’s how it addresses the two primary challenges:

1. The block on web activity tracking

Meta’s ban on web activity tracking means advertisers can’t use the Meta Pixel to monitor user actions like page views or lead submissions. Able CDP offers an alternative by:

• Using Server-Side Tracking: Able CDP records traffic sources, including Meta’s paid click identifiers, without relying on client-side tools like the Pixel.

• Attributing Conversions: It links these click IDs to visitor journeys and customer identities (e.g., when users submit forms), allowing you to track offline conversions without violating Meta’s rules whilst still ensuring that the conversions are correctly attributed to the clicks.

2. Restrictions on mid- and lower-funnel events

Meta prohibits optimizing campaigns for events like leads or purchases due to their sensitivity and risks of inadvertent disclosure of sensitive health information. Able CDP helps by:

• Renaming events: Able CDP lets you rename standard conversion events (e.g., “Lead” to “General Form Submission”) to comply with Meta’s policies, ensuring they aren’t flagged as restricted. This can be done either by using custom rules or by enabling a setting that automatically abbreviates event name, ensuring it remains policy-compliant.

• Offline conversion attribution: It connects offline events (e.g., CRM-qualified leads or payments) to online click IDs using identifiers like email or phone numbers, providing all data required for Meta to attribute conversions to the clicks without sharing any sensitive data.

By integrating with Meta’s Conversions API, Able CDP sends these events back to Meta with precise click-ID attribution, all while keeping data privacy-compliant.

Step-by-Step guide to setting up Able CDP

Here’s how to configure Able CDP to comply with Meta’s restrictions:

1. Install Able Tracking Code
   Add the Able tracking code to your website to capture traffic sources and visitor journeys without needing the Meta Pixel.

2. Remove Meta Pixel
   Since pixel-based tracking is banned for healthcare advertisers in the EU, uninstall the Meta Pixel to ensure compliance.

3. Integrate Offline Conversions (Optional)
   Connect offline data sources (e.g., CRM systems or payment records) to Able CDP. This enhances attribution by linking offline events to online clicks.

4. Enable Meta Conversions API
   Configure Able CDP to send conversion events to Meta’s Conversions API. Select 'Event name' - 'Abbreviated' option to use a policy-compliant custom event name instead of the default event name. Able CDP will match conversion events to Meta click IDs and browser session details for accurate, privacy-safe reporting.

Benefits of using Able CDP

• Privacy-First Tracking: Server-side tracking removes sensitive data before sharing with Meta, ensuring compliance.

• Flexible Event Naming: Custom event names keep your campaigns within Meta’s guidelines.

• Precise Attribution: Links conversions to exact click IDs, maintaining campaign insights.

• Holistic Measurement: Tracks both online and offline conversions for a complete view of performance.

Adapting your strategy

With Meta’s restrictions in place, healthcare advertisers should:

• Focus on top-of-funnel goals (e.g., awareness, traffic).

• Leverage Able CDP for conversion tracking and attribution.

• Ensure all data shared with Meta is anonymized and scrubbed of sensitive details.

Conclusion

Meta’s 2025 tracking restrictions for healthcare advertisers in the EU reflect a growing emphasis on privacy, driven by regulations like GDPR. While these rules limit traditional tracking methods, Able CDP provides a compliant, effective solution. By using server-side tracking, custom event names, and the Conversions API, you can adapt to these changes and continue achieving your marketing objectives.