Why Does TGA Approval Matter?
The Therapeutic Goods Administration is an Australian governmental agency concerned with the regulation of medical drugs and devices. They measure all over-the-counter and prescription medicines against a standard of quality, safety, and efficacy. Medicines may be registered, meaning they're marked with an AUST R and thoroughly evaluated before being marketed to the public, or medicines may be licensed, meaning they're marked with an AUST L and subject to random audits while available.
Medicines that are not approved by the TGA might be unsafe, unhealthy, or ineffective. You should always check the packaging of the medicines and medical devices you need to be sure they have passed registration or licensing through the TGA.
Separating the TGA Approved from the non-TGA Approved
The TGA was created to protect the consumer from using or being exposed to unsafe, unsanitary, or otherwise potentially harmful medicines and medical devices. The TGA works to ensure the medical products being sold in Australia are of only the highest quality, and are absolutely safe for the people of Australia to use. This is why every approved medicine and medical device is marked with an AUST R or AUST L number.
Ordinarily, this is not a major issue. You can be fairly certain that the medicines you buy from your local drugstore have passed TGA's rigorous tests, otherwise the store would not be able to sell them. However, some products related to the medical industry can be purchased online, and often at a deep discount to normal retail prices. Pregnancy tests are a perfect example.
Be Aware - Buyer Beware
Pregnancy tests have been available for purchase online for several years now. In Australia, sellers offering pregnancy tests are required to display the pregnancy tests' AUST L number in order to prove the test in question is actually legal for use in Australia. However, there are a few things consumers should know when they're trying to choose pregnancy tests, or any other medically-relevant materials, for purchase online.
The TGA publicly lists all approved products on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods website, and also lists the registered brand name of the test, as no two products can share the same AUST L number. If you're shopping for pregnancy tests on eBay, for example, you can scan the product description on the site for the AUST L number, go to the TGA.gov.au website, select "Search the product register (ARTG)" in the upper right-hand corner, and then use the Search function on the ARTG site to find out the registered name and brand owner of the test for sale.
Why is this an important step? Searching for the listed AUST L number (indicated on the ARTG site as the ARTG Id) allows you, first and foremost, to discover whether or not the pregnancy tests you're considering for purchase are actually legal for use in Australia. If the AUST L number of the pregnancy tests doesn't give a result on the ARTG site, there's a good chance it isn't approved by the TGA.
It's also become common practice for shysters on eBay to "steal" legitimate AUST L numbers for their own use. To use pregnancy tests as an example again, you would be wise to search the ARTG site for the AUST L numbers found on multiple different listings. This way, you can be sure the sellers are not copying and pasting another product's AUST L number in the hopes of selling you defective, unapproved, or potentially harmful pregnancy tests.
Protect Yourself with the Help of the TGA
Whenever you're purchasing medical products, online or off, you should make sure the packaging is intact, in a language you can read and understand, and there is a clearly displayed and legible AUST R or AUST L number on the box. If you have doubts, check the ARTG website to verify the number, or find a different similar product that is obviously registered. For the utmost protection, make sure you buy pharmaceuticals manufactured in Australia; this way you can be certain they adhere to TGA guidelines.
