At YouTube, we're committed to connecting viewers with health content from authoritative sources. As our health features grow, we're looking to expand the types of health sources used in some of our health features. To expand eligibility for authoritative sources, we're introducing an application process for some health-focused YouTube channels.
To inform this process, we have worked with third-party health authorities to define principles for how creators share health info online. These health authorities include:
- The Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS)
- The National Academy of Medicine (NAM)
- The World Health Organization (WHO)
Applicants who meet our criteria will be eligible to appear on:
Organisations with pre-existing, standardised vetting mechanisms
If you are, or belong to, an organisation with pre-existing, standardised vetting mechanisms, such as an accredited hospital, academic medical institution, healthcare educational institution, public health department or government organisation, you do not need to apply and should automatically be included in the health features if you are based in the following countries:
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Mexico
- South Korea
- Spain
- United Kingdom
- United States
If you fit these criteria but have not been included, please submit a request via the feedback tool available in the menu from your profile picture. In the feedback, please include your channel details, channel URL, country and website with '#healthinfo'. If you are based outside of the above countries, you can still express interest to be included by submitting a feedback request. This feedback is reviewed on a periodic basis. Eligible channels may take months to show up in our features.
Individuals, companies and nonprofits with health-focused YouTube channels
Individuals, companies and nonprofits with health-focused YouTube channels in the following countries can apply for these features:
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Mexico
- South Korea
- United Kingdom*
- United States
Applicants will be vetted against the eligibility criteria outlined below. Right now, the following are not eligible for consideration:
- Certain types of for-profit healthcare brands
- Channels run by pharmaceutical companies, health insurers or medical device companies
*Note on the UK: In the UK, we worked with the National Health Service to develop an approach to informing which channels would be eligible for YouTube's health features. The NHS is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems in the UK. This approach included the NHS
- Reviewing the principles developed by the expert panel convened by NAM for the UK context, and
- Publishing a Standard for Creating Health Content, which outlines essential requirements and best practice guidance for organisations to follow, in order to create high-quality health content.
Minimum eligibility requirements
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Attest to the Health Information Sharing Principles. Experts convened by the CMSS, NAM and the WHO have developed these principles to outline key aspects of info sharing. These aspects help define what it means to be a credible source of health info on social media.
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Be licensed in one of these health professions in the country/region in which you're applying to be an authoritative source.
For example, you must be a licensed nurse in the United States to be eligible for the health features in the United States. If you're applying on behalf of an organisation, you must be a licensed professional in one of these professions. You must also have oversight and review of the content that your organisation posts on YouTube.
A non-exhaustive list of eligible professionals can be found below:
- Licensed doctor (eligible to practise medicine in the relevant country)
- Licensed nurse/registered nurse
- Licensed psychologist or equivalent
- Licensed marriage and family therapist or equivalent
- Licensed clinical social worker or equivalent
Some professions may not be eligible or applicable in certain countries. Please refer to your country's application form for further details.
- Follow YouTube Channel Monetisation Policies, regardless of whether the channel is monetising.
- Have more than 1,500 valid public watch hours from video on demand content in the last 12 months, or 1.5 million valid public Shorts views in the past 90 days. You can read more about public watch hours and public Shorts views in this article.
- Primarily focus on covering health information.
- Have no active Community Guidelines strikes.
Note: LegitScript, a third-party partner, will coordinate licence verification when you apply. LegitScript may work with other licensing bodies and related organisations to verify licensing in each country/region. For example, in the US, LegitScript may work with The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), PsychHub and other related organisations.
How to apply
If you or a representative from your organisation meet the above eligibility criteria, you are welcome to apply here. We'll get back to you with a decision once your channel has been reviewed (typically in about one or two months). Accepted applicants may become eligible to start surfacing in select features in two to three months.
Accepted applicants are reassessed periodically. If you or the channel no longer meet the eligibility criteria, you may no longer be eligible for certain YouTube Health features. You have an obligation to notify YouTube of revocation or expiry of your professional licence. You can notify YouTube using this form.