Google Play health and medical apps policy: fixes and checks

Your app can be covered even when “health” isn’t its main category. Google requires the Health apps declaration and checks privacy, permissions, medical claims, and any hardware the feature depends on.

Align the declaration and data handling

Complete the declaration in Play Console. Provide a working public privacy policy in the console and in the app; Google specifies an accessible, non-geofenced, non-editable web page rather than a PDF. Explain the actual sensitive-data use and obtain the required prominent disclosure and consent. Remove permissions the feature doesn’t need.

Explain the actual medical capability

Disclose required external hardware and supported device models where sensors are involved. Regulated medical-device apps must be declared appropriately and supply requested approval, clearance, or certification evidence. Other health/medical apps need Google’s specified disclaimer that they aren’t medical devices and don’t diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent medical conditions. Include the reminder to consult a healthcare professional.

Check specialized cases

Government-affiliated, contact-tracing/health-status, and human-subject research apps have additional declaration or evidence requirements. Research needs informed consent and relevant ethics review unless exempt. We’d confirm these with qualified people responsible for the service.

Test the declared feature, hardware dependency, consent, and refusal paths using fictional data. Give Google matching documents and specific review steps. A disclaimer doesn’t make a harmful or misleading feature acceptable.