What are the AHPRA advertising rules for chiropractors in Australia?
CompliGUARD reviews this compliance area against TGA · AHPRA · FSANZ · ACCC frameworks for Australian health brands — here's what the regulations say.
CompliGUARD reviews chiropractor advertising content against AHPRA's advertising guidelines before it's published. Unlike tools that cover AHPRA only, CompliGUARD assesses content across TGA · AHPRA · FSANZ · ACCC in a single review. Chiropractors are registered with AHPRA under the Chiropractic Board of Australia and must comply with all four advertising prohibitions under s.133 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law — chiropractic is one of the highest-volume professions for AHPRA advertising complaints, with specific enforcement focus on spinal health claims, infant chiropractic, and subluxation-based advertising.
The rule: Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, s.133; AHPRA Guidelines for Advertising a Regulated Health Service, December 2020; Chiropractic Board of Australia Advertising Guidance
Chiropractic is one of 15 professions regulated by AHPRA under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. All chiropractor advertising is subject to s.133 and the AHPRA Guidelines for Advertising a Regulated Health Service. The Chiropractic Board of Australia has published specific advertising guidance that supplements the AHPRA Guidelines — this guidance addresses chiropractic-specific claim areas including subluxation theory, spinal health claims, and paediatric chiropractic. Chiropractic has historically attracted the highest complaint volumes of any AHPRA-regulated profession for advertising breaches, driven by the contested evidence base for some claimed treatment benefits and the active monitoring posture of the Chiropractic Board.
What this means in practice
- Do not use subluxation-based advertising claims — the Chiropractic Board has specifically identified subluxation theory advertising as a compliance risk area given the contested evidence base.
- Do not publish patient testimonials in any form — written, video, Google review reposts, or case studies.
- Do not make claims about chiropractic treatment for non-musculoskeletal conditions (asthma, reflux, colic, immune function) — these claims require substantiation at a level the current evidence base does not support.
- Exercise particular caution with paediatric chiropractic advertising — the Chiropractic Board has specifically flagged infant and paediatric outcome claims as a high-risk area.
- Before-and-after posture images, spinal X-ray comparison imagery, and range-of-motion comparisons all constitute before-and-after images that create unrealistic outcome expectations under s.133(1)(c).
Common mistakes
Using subluxation language in service advertising
Claims that chiropractic treats or corrects vertebral subluxations — and that subluxation correction produces systemic health benefits — have been specifically identified by the Chiropractic Board as requiring acceptable evidence that the current clinical literature does not consistently provide. Using subluxation-based advertising creates unrealistic expectation of benefit under s.133(1)(c) and may be misleading under ACL s.18.
Describe chiropractic services in terms of the musculoskeletal conditions assessed and treated — spinal pain, neck pain, headache, joint function — within the evidence-based scope of practice. Avoid subluxation terminology in advertising.
Advertising infant or paediatric chiropractic for colic, reflux, or developmental conditions
Paediatric chiropractic advertising claiming benefit for colic, reflux, feeding difficulties, or developmental conditions constitutes unrealistic outcome claims under s.133(1)(c) where the evidence base is insufficient to support the specific claims. The Chiropractic Board has specifically flagged this area.
Describe what a paediatric chiropractic assessment involves without implying specific health outcomes for specific paediatric conditions. Educational content about the assessment process is lower risk than outcome-specific claims.
Displaying X-ray or postural analysis images as before-and-after advertising
Spinal X-rays or postural analysis images shown in a before-and-after format constitute before-and-after advertising imagery — they imply specific treatment outcomes and may create unrealistic expectations under s.133(1)(c).
Use anatomical diagrams or stock clinical imagery to illustrate spinal conditions rather than patient-specific comparative images. Educational imagery about spinal anatomy is permissible — patient comparison imagery is not.
Compliant vs non-compliant example
❌ NON-COMPLIANT
Using subluxation language in service advertising
✅ COMPLIANT
Describe chiropractic services in terms of the musculoskeletal conditions assessed and treated — spinal pain, neck pain, headache, joint function — within the evidence-based scope of practice. Avoid subluxation terminology in advertising.
The enforcement context
Chiropractic consistently records the highest AHPRA advertising complaint volumes of any registered profession. AHPRA's 2024–25 data showed 775 complaints assessed across all professions — chiropractic accounts for a disproportionate share. The Chiropractic Board actively monitors chiropractic advertising and has issued specific guidance on subluxation claims, paediatric advertising, and testimonial use. Penalties for s.133 breaches reach $60,000 per offence for individuals.
Before you publish, check it.
CompliGUARD reviews chiropractor advertising against AHPRA Guidelines s.133 and Chiropractic Board guidance — including subluxation claim detection, paediatric claim analysis, and testimonial flagging.
Start free reviewRelated questions
Regulatory references
- Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, s.133
- AHPRA Guidelines for Advertising a Regulated Health Service, December 2020
- Chiropractic Board of Australia — Advertising Guidance
- Chiropractic Board of Australia — Position Statement on Chiropractic Care of Children
- Australian Consumer Law (Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Schedule 2), s.18