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Any social media activity that promotes the use or supply of therapeutic goods, such as medicines and medical devices, is an advertisement.
Whether an advertisement for therapeutic goods appears on social media or in any other media, the advertisement must comply with therapeutic goods legislation.
This includes, but is not limited to, advertising through social media posts, comments and hashtags, blogs, discussion forums and streaming services.
The same rules apply to:
- a business’ posts on its own social media accounts
- social media posts that a business pays for
- advertising by any other person on social media platforms.
Social media advertising guidance
Our guidance material provides detailed information and examples to help identify when social media activities advertise therapeutic goods and how to comply with the legislative requirements:
Infringement notices, or civil or criminal proceedings can apply for unlawful advertising, see Compliance and enforcement actions.
If you are new to advertising, please review our pages on:
Resources for influencers and talent management agencies
Online content creators, such as social media influencers, provide many Australians with a quick and entertaining way to get information on different products.
Many of these content creators rely on sponsorships and collaborations as a cornerstone of their business model. If this is you, you should know how to protect yourself and your business from unlawfully advertising therapeutic goods.
Use your influence to promote better health
A simple post from a respected person can influence the purchasing decisions of many people. If your post meets this definition of advertising, make sure you are complying with the law. Here are some of the important rules to keep in mind when creating content.
Tips for complying with TGA advertising rules
This infographic is a printable resource that can be used to communicate the key rules for advertising therapeutic goods on social media.
Tips for complying with TGA advertising rules
[PDF, 1009.01 KB]
Resources for businesses and social media account holders
Business owners are responsible for the content of any social media page created or managed by them, including third-party comments.
We recommend that business owners adopt a social media acceptable use policy, that sets out guidelines and warns third parties that non-compliant comments will be removed.
Social media acceptable use policy template
Social media acceptable use policy that advertisers can use on their digital platforms.
Resources for consumers
Ads for health products are everywhere, but don't believe everything you see on social media.
The therapeutic goods legislation has requirements to protect the Australian public from the personal and public health risks associated with unethical, inaccurate or misleading advertising practices relating to the advertising of therapeutic goods.
For more information, see: