Posted by Michael Wonder on 31 Mar 2020
Expansion of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme continued dispensing arrangements COVID-19
31 March 2020 - The Australian Government has extended the temporary Continued Dispensing (Emergency Measures) for three months to 30 June 2020, to assist in managing the demand on the health system during the COVID-19 outbreak.
An extension of these arrangements will provide another option for consumers to continue to access their PBS subsidised medicines, if they are having difficulty accessing a prescriber to obtain a valid prescription.
These arrangements will apply to most PBS/RPBS medicines supplied through community pharmacies which includes medicines used for asthma, lung disease, diabetes, heart disease and mental illness. This means that Australians who are having difficulty accessing their medical practitioner for a new prescription can obtain a one-off standard quantity of eligible PBS/RPBS medicines subsidised under the PBS without a prescription. The patient must previously have been prescribed this medicine and the pharmacist must be satisfied that it is urgently needed and it is not practicable to obtain a new prescription.
