The medicines regulator has equipped investigators with intelligence software capable of dark-web searches, AI-driven analysis and ‘secure persona-based investigations’ as it steps up surveillance of illegal therapeutic goods sold and promoted online.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has declined to reveal whether its investigators use covert online identities, or to provide details of the surveillance techniques enabled by the Fivecast intelligence platform, citing operational concerns.
“For operational reasons, we do not comment on specific intelligence methodologies, operational procedures or investigative capabilities,” a TGA spokesperson told Haematology Republic.
Documents released under freedom of information laws show the regulator spent $107,250 on three 12-month licences for Fivecast Onyx Pro, running from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.
The procurement documents describe Fivecast as an open-source intelligence platform capable of “obfuscated monitoring and collection of publicly available information”.
An internal procurement submission said the platform provided “deep web access, cross-platform social media analysis, and automated data aggregation”, while another document described its capabilities as including “dark web access, AI-driven analytics, and secure persona-based investigations”.
Fivecast Onyx is designed to allow intelligence analysts to search, collect and analyse information across online sources and identify connections that would be difficult to uncover manually.
The TGA sought the technology as its intelligence team grappled with increasing volumes and complexity of tip-offs and referrals involving potentially unlawful activity online.
Its requirements for an online investigations platform included “misattributed website access”, the ability to access websites unavailable through the department’s standard environment, transfer evidence into departmental systems and audit users’ activities.
The TGA said it used a range of intelligence and analytical capabilities to identify emerging risks, trends and connections relevant to its compliance work.
“Like many modern regulators, the TGA invests in contemporary tools to help detect, understand and respond to potentially unlawful activity occurring in increasingly complex digital environments,” the spokesperson said.
The regulator is particularly concerned about the growing promotion and sale of unapproved therapeutic goods through websites, social media, online marketplaces and other digital channels.
Prescription-only medicines cannot legally be advertised to the public, while unapproved therapeutic goods sold online can present health risks to consumers.
The TGA monitors online environments for unlawful advertising and works with digital platforms and other organisations to have non-compliant material removed and reduce consumers’ exposure to unapproved products.
“The TGA only uses information and intelligence capabilities to support its regulatory functions and the protection of public health,” the spokesperson said.
The FOI documents show the intelligence team trialled both Fivecast Onyx and NexusXplore before settling on Fivecast.
An internal assessment said the trials demonstrated the tools gave intelligence analysts a significant advantage, but acknowledged “the complete potential of these tools has yet to be fully realised”.
The TGA has also stopped short of detailing how information gathered using Fivecast was handled or retained, instead pointing to department-wide governance requirements.
“The use of these capabilities is governed by broader departmental governance arrangements, including information security, integrity and ICT policies,” the spokesperson said.
“These frameworks establish the overarching requirements for the secure, appropriate and authorised use of departmental systems, information and intelligence capabilities.”
Staff were required to comply with privacy, information security, records management and conflict-of-interest requirements, and use of intelligence capabilities was restricted to authorised staff performing official duties, the TGA said.
The procurement documents also revealed senior officials contemplated whether efficiencies generated by the technology could eventually have workforce implications.
First assistant secretary Chris Bedford supported the acquisition but said that if its first year demonstrated significant efficiency, “we may need to look at how ongoing use is offset by an ASL etc”.
The TGA said no such decision had been taken.
“The Department continually reviews business requirements, technology investments and workforce needs,” the spokesperson said.
“No decisions have been made to reduce staffing levels as a result of the use of intelligence tools.”
Read the full FOI document here.
