EMCAT: Promoting Transparency and Ethics in Addiction Treatment Advertising

The Ethical Marketing Campaign for Addiction Treatment (EMCAT) is committed to ensuring that all advertising and online listings for addiction services are accurate, transparent, and ethical.

In 2018, Google restricted advertising for addiction treatment services following widespread concerns about misleading marketing practices in the sector.

Today, similar issues are re-emerging - this time through Google Maps listings.

We’ve found that some operators are listing themselves as treatment centres when in fact they have no clinical premises — only a registered office or call centre.

This misleads people seeking urgent help and undermines trust in genuine, regulated providers.

EMCAT is now working with Google and using its internal reporting structures to flag misleading or inaccurate listings that could put vulnerable individuals at risk.

If you come across a listing or advertisement that concerns you, please contact EMCAT at emcat@emcat.org so we can review and escalate appropriately.

Together, we can raise standards, protect patients, and restore public trust in addiction treatment.