The new ASA Therapeutic and Health Advertising Code was announced in December 2025 and will come into effect for new advertising on 1 April, and all advertising on 1 July 2026.

To support industry compliance, we’re pleased to announce the launch of our deep dive webinars, part of a series provided free of charge by the ASA to members of the advertising industry. The new webinars follow on from our initial overview briefing session and will cover:

• Wednesday 11 February: Medicines and Medical Devices: Advertising Under the New Code
• Tuesday 17 February: Health Products: Advertising Under the New Code
• Wednesday 25 February: Health Services: Advertising Under the New Code

Learn more about each session, and register on the links below.

Medicines and Medical Devices: Advertising Under the New Code

This webinar with ASA Chief Executive Hilary Souter and TAPS Adjudicator Nicola Pearce provides a deep dive on the provisions in the new Code with a focus on how they will be applicable to medicine and medical device advertising in New Zealand. 

If the product or service you’re promoting falls within either of the definitions for Medicine or Medical Device, this webinar will provide essential information for complying with the new Code. We define Medicines and Medical Devices as:

Medicine means any substance or article or active ingredient that is manufactured, imported, sold, or supplied wholly or principally for administering to one or more human beings for a therapeutic purpose (see definition for therapeutic purpose in the new Code). A medicine achieves, or is likely to achieve, the principal intended action in or on the human body by pharmacological, immunological or metabolic means.

Only medicines that have been evaluated by Medsafe and have consent to distribute may be advertised in New Zealand. The advertised medicine(s) may be available on prescription or may be purchased over the counter.

A product can be a medicine in several ways:

• It is or contains a scheduled ingredient.
• Its label or advertisement implies or suggests a therapeutic purpose.
• It is intended for a therapeutic purpose.
• It is a product with consent to distribute.

Medical Device means a device that has a Therapeutic Purpose (see definition for Therapeutic Purpose in the new Code). A product can appear to be a Medical Device based on how it works or the claims made on the label or in advertisements. See Section 3(a) of the Medicines Act 1981 (Meaning of Medical Device).

Health Products – Advertising Under the New Code

Join ASA Chief Executive Hilary Souter and TAPS Adjudicator Nicola Pearce for a practical guide to advertising health products in New Zealand under the new Therapeutic and Health Advertising Code.

Is your product defined as a health product by the ASA?

Health Product means products often referred to as natural health products or complementary health care products. Health Products include:

• herbal products
• dietary supplements
• homeopathic products.

The ASA defines a Health Product as having the primary purpose of providing support for an individual’s normal and natural health.

Health Services – Advertising Under the New Code

Join ASA Chief Executive Hilary Souter and TAPS Adjudicator Nicola Pearce for a briefing on the essentials of advertising health services under the new Therapeutic and Health Advertising Code. 

This session is essential viewing for anyone promoting health services to New Zealand audiences.

Not sure if this applies to your service?

Health Service means a service that offers:

• a method of treatment for one or more medical conditions or
• support for normal healthy body functions.

Providers may or may not be registered health professionals (as defined in the Medicines Act) and may include (but not limited to) services for medicines, surgery, physiotherapy, nursing, rehabilitation, diagnostics, psychotherapy, counselling, fertility, sterilisation, relaxation massage, homeopathy, hypnotherapy, naturopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine and ayurvedic medicine.

Unsure of which is webinar is most relevant for your particular product or service? 

Reach out to us at asa@asa.co.nz for more information.