The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is undertaking a post-market review of all face masks included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) to ensure the quality and effectiveness of face masks supplied in Australia, including that they meet the legislative requirements for medical devices, and perform as intended.

For information about the review, including guidance for suppliers and users of face masks, see Post-market review of face masks: Overview.

Our review has identified some face masks are not meeting all the necessary regulatory requirements (e.g. non-conformance with the Essential Principles including labelling, failed TGA laboratory testing) and/or not performing as intended, i.e. as claimed by the manufacturer. Some masks may pose a risk to public health and safety when used in healthcare settings or industrial / commercial settings where protection from contaminated fluids and airborne particulates is required.

Some masks are being cancelled from the ARTG. Not all face masks that have been cancelled from the ARTG require any further action. For example, there may not be any of those masks remaining in the Australian market.

Depending on the issue identified in our post market review, some sponsors will be required to issue a Product Defect Alert or a Product Notification that describes the exact nature of the concern / issue so that customers can consider the setting the face mask is being used in, so as to minimise risks associated with its continued use.

Face masks subject to a Product Defect Alert or Product Notification are not being physically recalled (or removed from the market). However customers should consider taking a precautionary approach, based on the advice within the defect alert or notification and the setting in which they are being used.

The Product Defect Alerts and Production Notifications provide more detailed information regarding the specific batch and ARTG entry for affected face masks.