PAAB's Anonymous Drug Advertising Reporting Portal

In an increasingly complex healthcare environment, the spread of misinformation poses a significant risk to patient safety and public trust. As stewards of the Canadian healthcare landscape, we share a collective responsibility to ensure that all drug advertising remains accurate, balanced, and compliant. To support this responsibility, PAAB has established a secure portal for reporting drug advertising.

The portal enables any individual, including healthcare professionals, employees of health product manufacturers, communication agencies, patient associations, and HCP associations, to confidentially notify the Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board (PAAB) of advertising or promotional activities that may not comply with applicable drug advertising regulations or the PAAB Code of Advertising Acceptance. Notifications may be submitted anonymously or with contact information if you are comfortable being contacted in the event PAAB requires additional information.

What Types of Advertising May Contravene Regulations?

Examples include materials that:

• Contain misinformation or are otherwise misleading (e.g., exaggerate efficacy, minimize risk, or omitting, or otherwise diminishing, required safety information).
• Promote a product not approved by Health Canada (e.g., pre-approval promotion).
• Promote an off-label use not included in the Health Canada-approved Product Monograph.
• Are disguised as non-advertising, such as content that is made to appear educational but that is promotional in nature.
• Use endorsements, imagery, or claims that could mislead healthcare professionals or patients about product safety, efficacy, or regulatory status.
• Are accessible to the public when the content is intended solely for healthcare professionals (e.g., gated access is not functioning).

If you are unsure whether the material qualifies, PAAB encourages you to submit it anyway. Staff will assess whether it falls within PAAB’s jurisdiction.

What other entities may review the materials submitted through this form?

In certain cases, PAAB may collaborate with Health Canada to review materials or issues submitted through this form. While the advertising content and description of the concern may be shared for regulatory assessment, your identity will not be disclosed (even if you have provided your name or email address). If you choose not to provide identifying information, PAAB has no means of knowing who submitted the notification, ensuring that your anonymity is fully preserved.

Identity Protection Controls

PAAB has implemented a privacy-by-design architecture to protect the identity of individuals who wish to remain anonymous while submitting notifications through the anonymous reporting form.

Key measures include:

• Anonymous-by-default submission:
  The form does not require login or authentication and is configured to avoid the collection of IP addresses, cookies, session identifiers, device fingerprints, or analytics data. Identifying information is collected only if a user voluntarily provides contact details in the event that PAAB requires clarification.
• Encryption in transit and at rest:
  All submissions are transmitted using industry-standard TLS encryption. Uploaded materials and associated metadata are encrypted at rest using secure cloud infrastructure, with access governed by strict role-based controls.
• Secure file handling and sanitization:
  Uploaded files are routed through a quarantined environment. Files are sanitized prior to review (e.g., metadata removal) to reduce the risk of embedded identifiers.
• Restricted access:
  Access to submissions is limited to designated personnel using least-privilege permissions and multi-factor authentication.

In short, if a user chooses not to provide identifying information, PAAB has no technical means to determine who submitted the notification.

Is it better to remain anonymous or to identify myself?

That is entirely up to you. In most cases, the identity of the submitter is not required to assess the advertising piece in question. Occasionally, additional context may be needed to accurately interpret the material. Providing your contact information allows PAAB to follow up if clarification is required. However, we understand that there may be reasons to remain completely anonymous. If you choose not to provide identifying information, PAAB has no means of knowing who submitted the notification — including your name, contact details, location, IP address, or the device or network from which it was sent — and will assess the submission to the best of our ability based on the information provided.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)