Our work

The Active ingredient prescribing (AIP) initiative helps ensure consistent information about prescription medicines is used when health practitioners prescribe and dispense medicines for their patients.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious threat to human and animal health and is happening now. The more we use antibiotics, the more chances bacteria have to become resistant to them and are harder to treat. We all need to take action to preserve antibiotics and reduce the threat of AMR.

The Authorised Prescriber Scheme allows authorised medical practitioners to prescribe medicines, medical devices or biologicals that are not included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods to a class of patients with a particular medical condition.

This process developed recommendations to include the patient and consumer voice earlier in the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) process.

On 1 November 2024, the legislated need for collaborative arrangements between participating midwives, nurse practitioners and medical practitioners to provide Medicare Benefits Schedule services and prescribe Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medications was removed.

Under this program, pharmacies provide medicines to their patients in a well-sealed, tamper-proof device. This helps patients organise and time their medicines, so that they take them at the right dose and time.

Electronic prescribing is now widely available in the community setting. It provides an option for healthcare providers and consumers to use an electronic prescription as an alternative to paper prescriptions. Paper prescriptions are still available.

Under the Home Medicines Review, a pharmacist visits patients’ homes to help them understand all the medicines they take, and make recommendations to help health practitioners and patients develop medicine management plans. This helps to increase quality use of medicines and decrease adverse events.

Under this program, pharmacies provide medicines to their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in a well-sealed, tamper-proof device. This helps patients organise and time their medicines, so that they take them at the right dose and time.

The Life Saving Drugs Program (LSDP) pays for specific essential medicines to treat patients with ultra-rare and life-threatening diseases.

A MedsCheck enables a patient to go to community pharmacy and discuss their medicines with a pharmacist, who advises on what the medicines do, and how to use and store them, as well as address any problems. A Diabetes MedsCheck focuses on patients with type 2 diabetes and their diabetes medicines.

The NACE and National Allergy Council work together to help fight allergy in Australia. Allergic diseases are one of the country’s major public health challenges. The collaboration is supported by funding from the Australian Government.

The National Medical Stockpile is a strategic reserve of drugs, vaccines, antidotes and personal protective equipment for use in national health emergencies. We purchase and stockpile these items so Australia is more self-sufficient during an emergency and able to meet high levels of demand.

The Real Time Prescription Monitoring (RTPM) is a nationally implemented system, designed to monitor the prescribing and dispensing of controlled medicines with the aim of reducing their misuse in Australia.

The National Return and Disposal of Unwanted Medicines Program (NatRUM) is a service funded by the Australian Government that supports the safe disposal of expired and unwanted medicines.

The Personal Importation Scheme allows you to legally import from overseas a 3-month supply of most therapeutic goods for personal use or for use by someone in your immediate family. You are not allowed to sell these goods.

The Pharmacy Trial Program aims to trial new services that expand the role of pharmacists delivering primary health care and improve clinical outcomes for consumers. At the end of the trials, a health technology assessment will inform decisions on future funding.

The QUDTP program supports the quality use of medicines and medical tests for health professionals and patients in Australia.

This program provides free Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines to patients of Aboriginal health services in remote areas. It operates under section 100 of the National Health Act 1953.

These programs help to minimise adverse medicine events for people living in approved Australian Government-funded aged care facilities. Pharmacists visit patients in facilities to identify, resolve, and prevent medication-related problems.

The Special Access Scheme allows certain health practitioners to prescribe medicines, medical devices or biologicals that are not included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods to a single patient in some circumstances.

This program supports pharmacists to provide PBS medicines in instalments at the request of the prescriber. This aims to support people who are at risk of drug dependency or who cannot manage their medicines safely.

Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance in Aged Care Facilities has been consolidated into the Global Health initiative under the MRFF 10-year Investment Plan. This initiative helped tackle the threat of microbes such as bacteria, viruses or parasites becoming resistant to standard medical treatments.

The Australian Government is investing in a program to make naloxone available free to people who may experience, or witness, an opioid overdose.