TGA & Ahpra advertising compliance — Australia
The regulator reads your website. We read it first.
Fixed-price, independent compliance audits of clinic, pharmacy and brand marketing against the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 and the TGA Advertising Code — built for the medicinal cannabis sector, where a single page can cost $21,840+ per infringement notice.
Why this exists
Enforcement is no longer complaint-driven
Medicinal cannabis is a named priority in the TGA's 2026–27 compliance framework. The regulator now proactively scans websites, social media and influencer content, reviews its focus areas quarterly, and has publicly committed to faster, more visible enforcement. Ahpra shares prescribing data with the TGA to identify outliers without a complaint ever being filed.
$2.3M+Fines issued in 2 yrs
165+Infringement notices
3Federal Court cases
$16.5MMax civil penalty (corp.)
A university review of 54 clinic websites found close to half breached the guidelines — most without knowing it. The rules reach further than most operators realise: the words "plant medicine", a leaf in your logo, a condition named on a booking page, or a linked blog post can each constitute unlawful advertising.
What an audit finds
Real risk categories, stamped by severity
Critical
Restricted representations on public pages
References to serious conditions — chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD, cancer, epilepsy — in connection with your services. This is the single most-fined breach pattern in TGA infringement notices.
s 42DL(10), 42DLB(7) Therapeutic Goods Act 1989; Advertising Code Part 4Critical
Product, brand or synonym references
Naming products, "medical cannabis", "plant medicine", CBD/THC abbreviations, or cannabis imagery in logos and business names. The prohibition explicitly extends to synonyms and pictures.
TGA medicinal cannabis advertising guidance (2025 update)High
Testimonials, endorsements and influencer content
Patient stories, practitioner endorsements and paid social content. The 2026–27 priorities specifically target influencer and AI-generated marketing.
Advertising Code s 24; TGA social media guidance (Nov 2025)High
Third-party and linked content
Blogs you link to, articles about you, affiliate pages and directory listings can make your site an advertisement. Publishers have been fined and taken to court for single articles.
News Life Media notices; Atlus/Mamamia proceedingsServices
Fixed prices. Written reports. Email only.
Rapid Website Scan
$149
one-off · 48-hour turnaround
- Automated + human scan of your website
- Top 5 risks, severity-stamped
- One-page written summary
Full Compliance Audit
$449
one-off · 5 business days
- Website + 2 social channels
- Scored report, every finding referenced to the rule it breaches
- Remediation guidance and compliant replacement copy suggestions
Monthly Monitoring
$99/mo
recurring · cancel any time
- Monthly re-scan of your channels
- Alerts when TGA guidance changes
- Email digest with new risks flagged
Also available: the Compliant Copy Template Pack ($199) and multi-location portfolio audits (from $1,500, quoted by email).
Process
How it works
01
Order online
Choose a service and pay by card. The intake form asks for your URLs and social handles — nothing else is needed from you.
02
We audit
Your public marketing is reviewed against a 22-rule engine built from the Act, the Advertising Code, current TGA guidance and documented enforcement patterns.
03
Report lands in your inbox
Every finding carries a severity stamp, the rule it breaches, and what to change. Rapid Scans arrive in 48 hours; Full Audits in 5 business days.
04
Fix, or ask us by email
Remediate in-house with our guidance, buy the template pack for rewritten copy blocks, or add monitoring so drift gets caught before the regulator sees it.
An infringement notice starts at $21,840. An audit is $449.
Every report is delivered by email, referenced to published guidance, and written so your team can act on it the same day. If we find nothing, you get that in writing — a clean report you can show your board, insurer or acquirer.
Common questions
Is this legal advice?
No. Section 42 Compliance provides independent compliance reviews of marketing material against published TGA and Ahpra guidance. Our reports identify risks and recommend remediation, and we recommend qualified legal counsel for final sign-off on high-stakes decisions.
Who is this service for?
Australian businesses whose marketing touches medicinal cannabis or other prescription-only medicines: telehealth and in-person clinics, dispensing pharmacies, licensed producers, sponsors and importers, marketing agencies serving the sector, and publishers.
How is everything delivered?
Entirely by email and self-serve checkout. You order online, we deliver a written report to your inbox within the stated turnaround, and follow-up questions are answered by email within two business days. No calls, no meetings required.
Why should we act before being contacted by the TGA?
The TGA's 2026–27 compliance priorities move from complaint-driven to proactive surveillance of websites and social media. Infringement notices in this sector have exceeded $2.3 million over two years, and court action can put directors personally at risk. A fixed-price review costs a fraction of a single infringement notice.