AU
If you’ve spent any time checking medicines, medical devices or other therapeutic goods in Australia, you may have come across the term ARTG. It stands for the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, a public database maintained by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
The ARTG serves as a valuable tool for verifying the regulatory details of therapeutic goods listed on the Australian register. However, an ARTG search needs to be interpreted in context, particularly when looking at laboratory materials, research products or goods that may fall outside standard therapeutic supply pathways.
What is the ARTG?
The ARTG contains information about therapeutic goods that can be supplied in Australia. Depending on the product, an entry may include details such as its name, sponsor, manufacturer, formulation or ingredients, ARTG number and regulatory classification.
Most therapeutic goods need to be entered in the ARTG before they can be lawfully supplied in Australia, unless an exemption, exclusion or another specific regulatory pathway applies.
The register covers several types of goods, including:
- registered medicines
- listed medicines
- medical devices
- biologicals
- other regulated therapeutic goods
An ARTG entry is therefore primarily a regulatory record. The TGA itself notes that the register is not intended to provide recommendations or advice about whether someone should use a particular product.
What do AUST R and AUST L mean?
For medicines, you may see an identification number beginning with AUST R or AUST L.
An AUST R number relates to a registered medicine. Registered medicines generally undergo a higher level of pre-market assessment because of their risk profile.
An AUST L number identifies a listed medicine. Listed medicines are generally considered lower risk and operate under a different regulatory framework.
There is also AUST L(A) for assessed listed medicines. These categories should not be treated as interchangeable because the assessment requirements differ between them.
How to search the ARTG
The public ARTG database can be searched through the TGA website. Depending on the information you have available, searches can be made using details such as:
- product name
- active ingredient
- sponsor
- ARTG identification number
- licence details
Opening an individual result can provide further information about the relevant ARTG entry.
For regulatory checks, it is worth looking beyond a similar product name. Please confirm details such as the sponsor, ingredients, product type, and ARTG status to ensure you are viewing the correct entry.
Does each peptide require an ARTG entry?
Not really.
Whether a substance or product needs ARTG inclusion depends on factors including how it is classified, its intended purpose and how it is supplied. Some therapeutic goods are exempt from ARTG inclusion, while certain unapproved therapeutic goods may be accessed through specific pathways.
A product intended strictly for laboratory or research use should therefore not automatically be assumed to have the same regulatory status as a therapeutic product supplied for human use.
Likewise, the absence of a product from an ARTG search does not, by itself, explain its complete regulatory position.
Why the ARTG matters
For Australians checking therapeutic goods, the ARTG provides a practical starting point for verifying regulatory information rather than relying solely on packaging, advertising or claims made by a supplier.
For the most current information, search the official Therapeutic Goods Administration ARTG information or consult the TGA directly when a product’s classification or regulatory status is unclear.
