Privacy

Privacy information

The TGA collects a variety of personal information in the course of performing its functions.

Personal information is defined in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). Your personal information is protected by law under the Privacy Act, which contains Australian Privacy Principles. For more information, see the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website.

The TGA is part of the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

The Department's Privacy Policy contains information about:

• How you may access your personal information and seek correction of it.
• How you can complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how the Department will deal with that complaint.

In particular, the TGA collects personal information in relation to its key functions of approving therapeutic goods for supply in Australia and licensing Australian manufacturers of therapeutic goods. The TGA uses personal information for these functions, including the following:

Personal information in applications relating to placing goods in the ARTG or entries in the ARTG

• The TGA collects personal information in applications to place therapeutic goods in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, and in associated and ancillary applications in relation to Registration of therapeutic goods (for example to vary entries for goods already in the Register, for a proposed name for a chemical substance, for a conformity assessment certificate for medical devices).
• The personal information is used to maintain a record of these applications, to consider the applications, and to contact applicants about their application(s).
• Personal information provided in applications may also be used to contact sponsors of goods in the Register where there is a need to do so - for example, in the event of a safety, quality or efficacy issue concerning the goods, or to administer fees and payments relating to the goods.
• Personal information relating to sponsors of therapeutic goods may be disclosed where authorised or required by an Australian law, Court or Tribunal order; or with the consent of the person the information is about.
• Manufacturing licences.

Personal information in applications relating to manufacturing licences

• The TGA collects personal information in applications for Australian manufacturing licences, and associated applications such as to vary existing manufacturing licences.
• The personal information is used to maintain a record of manufacturing licence applications, to consider applications, and to contact applicants about their application.
• Personal information provided in applications may also be used to contact sponsors or manufacturers of goods in the Register where there is a need to do so - for example, in the event of a safety, quality or efficacy issue concerning the manufacture of certain goods, or to administer fees and payments relating to the licence.
• Personal information relating to holders of licences to manufacture therapeutic goods may be disclosed where authorised or required by an Australian law, Court or Tribunal order; or with the consent of the person the information is about.

Personal information in advertising complaints

Where you provide personal information about yourself, the TGA will use this information to contact you if necessary to ask you about your complaint. Complaints, and the personal information contained within this complaint, may be referred to Australian and/or overseas bodies including:

• Government departments and bodies in Australia and overseas who have roles in regulating health, food, therapeutic goods or consumer law
• The office administering the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS)
• Law enforcement agencies

to administer the complaint.

Personal information in or in relation to applications for conformity assessment body determinations

• The TGA collects personal information in applications for conformity assessment body determinations, and supporting information relating to such applications.
• The personal information is used to maintain a record of conformity assessment body determination applications, to verify and consider such applications (including in relation to the "fit and proper person" criteria relating to such applications in subregulation 4A.6(3) of the Therapeutic Goods (Medical Devices) Regulations 2002) and to contact applicants about their application.
• Where a conformity assessment body determination is made, personal information provided in an application may be used to contact manufacturers and sponsors of kinds of medical devices that have been assessed by the Australian conformity assessment body if there is a need to do so - for example, in the event of a safety or performance issue concerning such devices.
• Personal information relating to applications for conformity assessment body determinations, and Australian conformity assessment bodies, may be disclosed under Commonwealth privacy laws in certain circumstances including where authorised or required by an Australian law, Court or Tribunal order, or with the consent of the relevant individual.

Other information

Other information about how the TGA uses personal information for its other functions is available on the parts of the TGA website that refer to those functions, or on specific forms that collect the information.

Website analytics

We use analytics software to assist us to produce reports which help us improve the user experience of the TGA website.

The TGA website uses Google Analytics 4 and Matomo, which send website traffic data to servers. This traffic data contains information on how visitors use and navigate our website. Google Analytics 4 does not identify individual users or associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.

Google Analytics 4 sends traffic data to servers offshore. Matomo stores traffic data in servers within Australia.

We use reports provided by analytics to help us understand our website traffic and our webpage usage, so that we can provide more relevant content. These reports do not identify individual users or associate your IP address with any other data held by the TGA.

By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you for the purposes set out above, and in the Google Analytics Privacy Policy and Matomo Privacy Policy.

You may choose to not provide analytics data by disabling or refusing the cookie or disable JavaScript or use the opt-out service provided by Google. 

Email subscriptions

The TGA uses Swift Digital, an online marketing automation platform and service provider, to send emails and manage email subscriptions. In using this service, the company will collect personal information, such as full names and email addresses, to be used for the distribution of email newsletters, notifications and other important information.

All information collected using the Swift Digital service is the property of the TGA and is never shared or used by third parties.

Swift Digital maintains your data in compliance with Australia's Spam Act 2003 and Australian Privacy Principles. Your data is kept secure while it's being sent and stored by Swift Digital.

All data is maintained within Australia and never leaves Australian jurisdiction.

Should you wish to contact Swift Digital, you can find contact details on the Swift Digital website.

Cookies

We use 'cookies' for maintaining contact with a user through a website session. A cookie is a small file supplied by the Department, and stored by the web browser software on your computer when you access our site. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website.

Links to other websites

This website contains links to other sites. The Australian Government is not responsible for the privacy practices of any third parties nor are they responsible for the material contained in a website that is linked to this site.

Queries, concerns and further information

If you have any queries, concerns or require further information relating to privacy and the Therapeutic Goods Administration, please email the TGA at: info@tga.gov.au.

If you have concerns about emailing this site, please use our postal address and write to: