Promoting medicines to the public on social media

This page explains the legal rules for advertising or promoting medicines online, including on social media.

It applies to anyone who uses social media to promote or recommend medicines or treatments that involve a medicine. This includes influencers and content creators. It also covers businesses, such as cosmetic clinics, that have commercial partnerships with influencers or creators. 

What law applies and who enforces it?

In Ireland, the Medicinal Products (Control of Advertising) Regulations 2007 sets out the legal rules for advertising medicines. The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) checks if individuals and businesses are following these laws correctly. We take action when needed, such as reporting or removing online content. 

What counts as medicines advertising? 

Advertising a medicine includes any information or activity “designed to promote the prescription, supply, sale or consumption of medicines.” If something meets this definition, it is medicines advertising and must comply with the law.

This includes, but is not limited to, advertising and promoting medicines to the public online, including on social media.  

Who must follow the law for advertising medicines? 

Anyone who advertises or promotes a medicine in Ireland must comply with the law. This includes, but is not limited to, social media influencers and content creators. It also includes businesses who provide treatments that include a medicine. For example, this may include services that includes botulinum toxin, which is a prescription-only medicine in Ireland. 

What the law allows and prohibits when advertising medicines

The following rules explain what is allowed and not allowed when advertising medicines. They apply to everyone and you must apply them consistently. 

Unauthorised or unregistered medicines 

It is prohibited to advertise or promote any human medicine that is not authorised or registered in Ireland.  

  • Check our website to confirm if a medicine is authorised in Ireland. This list includes all authorised medicines.
  • If you are unsure whether a product counts as a medicine, see our guide to the definition of a human medicine. The guide explains how we assess borderline products and decide whether they are medicines or another type of product. 

Prescription-only medicines 

It is prohibited to advertise or promote prescription-only medicines to the public in Ireland. This applies to social media and traditional media and covers all promotional materials and activities. You must not include promotional references to prescription-only medicines in any public content. 

To check if a medicine is prescription-only in Ireland, search for a medicine in our list of authorised medicines. The medicine’s information will show its legal supply status, such as “prescription only” or “not subject to medical prescription.”

Free samples

You can only give free samples of medicines to healthcare professionals who are legally allowed to prescribe that medicine. You must also meet specific regulatory conditions when supplying free samples. 

Recommendations by certain individuals 

When you advertise medicines to the public, you must not include recommendations from:

  • scientists
  • health professionals
  • people with celebrity status 

Advertising non-prescription medicines that can legally be promoted to the public 

If the law allows you to advertise a non-prescription medicine to the public, your advertising must meet the following requirements. It must:

  • Ensure that any information provided about a medicine is based on the information provided in its Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC)
  • Encourage the safe and appropriate use of the medicine
  • Not be misleading 
  • Comply with Part 3 of the Regulations (requirements for advertising medicines to the public) 

The Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) describes a medicine in detail. It explains what the medicine is used for, how to take it, possible side effects, who should not use it, and any special precautions. You can find the approved SPC for each medicine in our list of authorised medicines.