What happens after an AHPRA complaint?

Where the complaint goes

It is filed as a possible criminal offence.

Breaking the health ad rules is a crime in law. But AHPRA says low and medium risk cases may be handled without a court.

What AHPRA does next

It checks your ad and weighs the risk.

AHPRA looks at the ad and works out who is behind it. It counts past complaints too. Most cases then get a letter. You have 30 days to fix it.

Who is responsible

Whoever controls the ad answers for it.

That is usually your clinic. AHPRA says you must check anything others write for you. One homepage can have 3 people or businesses responsible.

If an agency wrote it

Writing a claim is different from printing it.

The law protects a business that only prints or publishes your ad. An agency handed finished copy is covered. An agency that wrote the claim is not.

If nothing changes

Your registration can be affected.

If you are registered and do not fix the ad, AHPRA may put conditions on your registration. If the person behind it is not registered, AHPRA may go to court.

How to stop it going further

Fix the pattern as well as the page.

Find the flagged wording everywhere it appears. Write down each fix and the date. Change who approves your copy. Most cases that go further start with a second complaint.

Tap below for the full breakdown.