The Human Medicines Regulations 2012

Complaints to Ministers: duty to consider

309.—(1) This regulation applies if a person makes a complaint to the Ministers that an advertisement that has been published, or that is proposed to be published, is incompatible with the prohibitions imposed by Chapter 2.

(2) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation and to regulation 310, the Ministers must consider the complaint unless it appears to the Ministers to be frivolous or vexatious.

(3) The Ministers are not under any duty to consider a complaint if either OFCOM or a body that appears to the Ministers to be a self-regulatory body that deals with complaints about advertisements of the type in question is already dealing with the same complaint.

(4) If the Ministers have served a notice in respect of the advertisement under regulation 305 (whether or not they have taken action in respect of it under regulation 306) they—

(a) may consider the complaint; but

(b) are not under any duty to do so.

(5) If the complaint is one that OFCOM would be under a duty to consider if it had been made to OFCOM (see regulation 314) the Ministers must—

(a) investigate the complaint; or

(b) seek the agreement of the complainant to the complaint being referred to OFCOM.

(6) If, within a reasonable time of being approached by the Ministers, the complainant agrees to the complaint being referred to OFCOM the Ministers must refer the complaint to OFCOM.

(7) If, within a reasonable time of being approached by the Ministers, the complainant does not agree to the referral of the complaint, the Ministers must consider the complaint.

(8) The Ministers must also consider the complaint if, having referred it to OFCOM, OFCOM—

(a) decides not to consider the complaint because it appears to OFCOM to be frivolous or vexatious; or

(b) fails to deal adequately with the complaint within a reasonable time of the referral being made.