Ahpra warns practitioners to manage financial conflicts of interest
24 Sep 2026
The guidance highlights concerns about healthcare business models that could create pressure on practitioners to recommend particular medicines, treatments, assessments or medical devices.
Examples include businesses that prescribe and dispense a single medicine, or arrangements that provide financial incentives for practitioners to increase services or recommend specific products.
Practitioners are expected to:
- identify and manage conflicts that could affect or appear to affect their professional judgement
- disclose relevant financial or commercial interests to patients
- base clinical decisions on individual patient needs and available evidence
- discuss appropriate treatment options, including alternatives provided outside their organisation where relevant
- keep clear records explaining how clinical decisions were made.
Ahpra states that having a financial interest is not automatically inappropriate. Practitioners can earn a profit from their work, provided their professional responsibilities and patient interests remain the priority.
The guidance also warns employers and business owners that they must not direct or pressure registered practitioners to engage in conduct that amounts to unprofessional conduct or professional misconduct. Under the National Law, this can be a criminal offence, with maximum penalties of $60,000 for an individual and $120,000 for a body corporate.
Ahpra is seeking information about business practices, systems and organisational arrangements that may affect patient safety or influence professional decision making.
The interim guidance comes while most National Board codes of conduct are being reviewed. The review will consider expectations around identifying, disclosing and managing conflicts of interest, as well as possible additional safeguards for the public.
Ahpra regulates almost one million registered health practitioners and says it is working towards more proactive, data-informed regulation to identify potential risks.
Ahpra warns practitioners to manage financial conflicts of interest
Source: Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) — Managing financial or commercial conflicts of interest.