The rules themselves are not long. The problem is that almost nothing written about them is written for the person actually approving the marketing. This section fixes that. Each page below takes one part of the advertising rules and explains what it means for a real campaign, with the wording you can and cannot use.
Who the rules apply to
Advertising restrictions on regulated health services sit in the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, which operates in each state and territory. Section 133 is the part that matters for marketing. It applies to registered health practitioners and, importantly, to any business that provides a regulated health service. A practice is caught by the law even when a practitioner did not personally write the ad.
That last point causes more trouble than any other. If an agency, a designer or a franchisor writes copy that breaches section 133, the practitioner and the practice are still the advertiser. Responsibility does not transfer to the supplier. It is why LHM treats compliance as part of production rather than something a client signs off at the end.
Local Health Marketing is a marketing agency. AHPRA does not regulate us and nothing here is legal advice. What we can do is build campaigns that respect the rules, and tell you plainly when something you have asked for is a problem.
What counts as advertising
Broader than most people expect. Your website, landing pages, Google Ads, social posts, Google Business Profile content, printed brochures, signage, email campaigns and sponsored content all sit inside the definition. So does a video where a practitioner speaks on camera about a treatment.
A useful working test: if it is intended to promote a regulated health service and you control it, treat it as advertising.
The five prohibitions
Section 133 says advertising for a regulated health service must not:
1. Be false, misleading or deceptive, or be likely to mislead or deceive. 2. Offer a gift, discount or other inducement without also stating the terms and conditions of that offer. 3. Use testimonials or purported testimonials about the service or the business. 4. Create an unreasonable expectation of beneficial treatment. 5. Directly or indirectly encourage the indiscriminate or unnecessary use of regulated health services.
Read quickly, that list sounds like common sense. Applied to a live Google Ads account or a busy Instagram profile, it gets sharp fast. A "book now, limited spots" post can encourage unnecessary use. A five-star rating pulled into an ad can be a testimonial. A "from $X" price with no conditions attached can be an inducement without terms.
The individual pages in this section work through those situations one at a time.
How LHM handles it
Compliance is a production step for us, not a disclaimer. Copy is written against the rules from the first draft. Ad accounts are configured so Google's automated features cannot generate headlines or pull ratings we have not reviewed. Where a client wants something we think is high risk, we say so in writing and offer an alternative that gets close to the same commercial result.
We are not the right agency if you want the boldest claim in the market. We are a good fit if you want a campaign that keeps working after someone complains about it.
Have your current marketing reviewed
If you have inherited a website or an ad account and you are not sure what is in it, we will go through it and tell you what we would change. No cost, no obligation to work with us afterwards.
Explore the compliance guides
AHPRA Advertising Guidelines, Explained in Plain English
What the AHPRA advertising guidelines actually say, who they apply to, and the rules clinics get wrong on reviews, offers and before-and-after photos.
Read guide
AHPRA-Compliant Google Ads
How to run Google Ads for a healthcare practice without breaching AHPRA advertising rules, from automated assets to landing pages and review extensions.
Read guide
What You Can't Say in Health Ads
The claims, offers, patient comments and urgency that AHPRA's advertising rules prohibit for regulated health services, with compliant alternatives.
Read guide
AHPRA & Patient Testimonials
What section 133 says about patient testimonials, where the clinical line falls, purported testimonials, and reviews on platforms your clinic does not control.
Read guide
Before and After Photos in Health Advertising
When AHPRA allows before and after photos in health advertising, what makes them misleading, and how to check your clinic's images before you publish.
Read guide
AHPRA-Compliant Websites for Clinics
How AHPRA's rules apply to clinic websites: claims, offers, testimonials, before-and-after images, urgency and forms, with checks to run before publishing.
Read guide
Social Media & AHPRA
How AHPRA's advertising rules apply to clinic social media, including comments, replies, patient reviews, and posts made by staff or influencers.
Read guide
Google Healthcare Ad Policies
What Google's healthcare ad policy requires in Australia, how it differs from AHPRA rules, and what clinic owners should check before running ads.
Read guide
AHPRA Compliance Checklist
A practical checklist for clinic owners to test websites, ads, reviews, offers and photos against the AHPRA advertising rules before anything goes live.
Read guideImportant note
General information only. It is not legal advice and does not replace the current guidelines published by AHPRA and the National Boards. Check the source material or seek advice on your specific situation.