TGA reminder: Advertising of vaccination services
This guidance is for immunisation providers, including pharmacists and pharmacies, to remind them that there are strict controls around the advertising of vaccination services.
This includes the release of information to the public about vaccines.
All vaccines for human use are classified as Schedule 4 (prescription-only) medicines in the Poisons Standard. The Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 prohibits the advertising of prescription-only medicines to consumers (Subsection 42DL(10)).
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Regulation of advertising for services that also promote vaccines
The Act does not regulate the advertising of health services.
However, if your advertisement for a vaccination service also promotes the use of a therapeutic good it may become an advertisement for that therapeutic good.
Advertisements for vaccines are subject to the therapeutic goods legislation and must comply with the Act and the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code (the Code).
When advertising vaccination services, avoid using:
- information that might enable consumers to identify the particular vaccine or the manufacturer/s of the vaccine/s provided with the service
- statements or representations that harmful effects will occur from not receiving the vaccine
- references to any misleading therapeutic benefit of a vaccine (for example, a use that is not a TGA-approved indication for the vaccine)
- an indication that the vaccine administered as part of the service is superior to other vaccines
- portrayals of the vaccine or service in a way that trivialises or conflicts with public health policies, or misleads consumers in any other way
- price comparisons
- incentives to encourage the consumer to obtain the service or vaccine, or any other claim that promotes the use or supply of the vaccine
Use of any of the above makes advertising of your service to be more likely considered advertising of the vaccine itself and subject to therapeutic goods legislation.
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Information that should be included in advertising of influenza vaccination services
TGA recommends that advertisements for seasonal influenza vaccination services should also inform the public that:
- the vaccine is either a “trivalent vaccine” or “quadrivalent vaccine”
- influenza vaccines are free to people from high risk groups identified in the National Immunisation Program
- people from high risk groups should seek advice from their medical practitioner
High risk groups that are eligible for free influenza vaccines include:
- people aged 65 years and over
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 0 to 5 years
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are aged 10 years and over
- pregnant women
- people aged six months and over with medical conditions such as severe asthma, lung or heart disease, low immunity or diabetes that can lead to complications from influenza
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Other requirements to consider when advertising vaccine services
There are other requirements in addition to the Act and the Code that service providers should be aware of when advertising vaccines, such as:
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