Advertising a regulated health service
In the past, salespeople and pharmacists sold medicines and treatments including snake oil, shock treatment and substances which are illegal today. Many of these medicines had no benefit and were created for a quick profit. They were advertised in newspapers and at fairs, often accompanied by misleading claims.
Today, people can’t get away with selling such products in this way. There are now strict rules to follow if you plan to advertise a regulated health service in Australia.
What are regulated health services?
A regulated health service is any health service that is regulated by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Regulated health services include:
chiropractic
dental
medical
nursing
occupational therapy
optometry
pharmacy
physiotherapy
podiatry
psychology.
Note that services such as speech pathology, dietetics, audiology, other allied health services, and disability support are not regulated by AHPRA but by the National Code of Conduct.
What does advertising mean?
In our media-saturated age, advertising includes all types of promotion such as:
outdoor advertising such as a roadside billboard or sign on a footpath/side of a building
transit advertising such as signs on buses, taxis and at train stations
print advertising such as newspapers, magazines, flyers, or direct mail
promotional emails and digital newsletters
online advertising such as display ads on third party sites, Google Ads, social media ads and video ads
advertising on TV, radio, or cinema
soft advertising such as product placement in TV, radio, movies, video games, articles for social media or viral videos.
Who needs to know?
If you are associated or involved in promoting a regulated health service, you need to be aware of the rules to ensure your campaigns comply.
How can I promote my regulated health service while ensuring compliance?
In short:
don’t advertise in any way that is or could be seen as false or misleading
be honest about any associated risks
don’t advertise any form of incentive or discount
don’t use testimonials even if they are real testimonials, unless referring to non-clinical things like customer service
if using evidence for support, ensure it is relevant and acceptable
don’t imply or overstate a person’s specialty or experience in a field
be aware of other relevant codes for advising your service.
To ensure your next campaign is compliant, visit AHPRA’S advertising hub for more information, or ask your:
professional association
insurer, and/or
independent legal adviser.
For more useful tips and disability sector updates, like our Facebook page.
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