Direct-to-consumer

Advertising aimed at the general public other than healthcare professionals is prohibited for medicines and regenerative medical products supplied for use by a physician or dentist or on their prescription or instruction.

For prescription drug advertisements for human use presented directly to consumers in television or radio format, the major statement of major side effects and contraindications must be presented in a clear, conspicuous and neutral manner, and in television format it must be presented concurrently using both audio and text.

If a person advertises a prescription drug to the general public, the person may not make any representation other than the brand name, proper name, common name, price and quantity of the drug.

Member States must prohibit advertising to the general public of medicinal products that are available on medical prescription only or that contain substances defined as psychotropic or narcotic by international convention, while medicinal products that by virtue of their composition and purpose are intended and designed for use without the intervention of a medical practitioner may be advertised to the general public.

A person may not publish an advertisement that is likely to lead to the use of a prescription only medicine.

Narcotic, psychotropic, medically toxic and radioactive drugs and other special drugs, drug precursor chemicals and detoxification products may not be advertised at all, and other prescription drugs may only be advertised in medical and pharmaceutical professional publications jointly designated by the State Council health administration and the State Council drug regulator.

It is an offence to advertise therapeutic goods where the advertisement refers to substances, or goods containing substances, included in Schedule 3, 4 or 8 of the current Poisons Standard but not in Appendix H, other than a reference authorised or required by an Australian government authority.

It is prohibited to advertise prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs having the same dosage form, route of administration and main ingredient content per unit dosage form as a prescription drug, and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Advertising to the public is prohibited for medicinal products that may be dispensed only on medical prescription, that contain narcotics or psychotropic substances, that by their composition and intended purpose cannot be used without medical intervention for the corresponding diagnosis, prescription or treatment, or that are frequently misused or can lead to habituation and dependence; the ordinance permits advertising to the public only for medicines in dispensing categories C, D and E and for cantonally authorised medicines.