AUST L vs AUST R: what’s the difference?

Written by Cassie, registered pharmacist
Founder of Clean Green Safe

Most medicines and supplements in Australia carry either an AUST L or an AUST R number. The letter is small, but it tells you which pathway the product went through, and that’s worth knowing.

Listed medicines: AUST L

Listed medicines are lower-risk products, and most supplements fall into this group. They must use ingredients from the TGA’s permitted list at permitted amounts and be made to Good Manufacturing Practice. The sponsor certifies that the product meets these requirements. The TGA doesn’t individually evaluate each listed medicine before it goes on the register.

Registered medicines: AUST R

Registered medicines are higher-risk products, such as many pharmacy and prescription medicines. Each one is individually evaluated by the TGA for quality, safety and efficacy before it can be supplied. Registration is the more thorough pathway.

Why the difference matters

The number tells you how much the TGA looked at before the product reached the shelf. AUST R means an individual evaluation that includes whether it works. AUST L means the product meets the listing requirements, without an individual evaluation of whether it works. Neither number tells you whether a product is right for you, and that’s a conversation worth having with your pharmacist.

Looking it up

You can check either number on the TGA’s ARTG public register, which shows the type of entry and whether it’s current.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cassie, registered pharmacist

Cassie is a registered pharmacist, a parent and the founder of Clean Green Safe. With a background in Australian supplement regulation across the TGA, FSANZ and NHMRC, she built Clean Green Safe to help people understand what’s really in their supplements, and how it all adds up across everything they take.