NSW Health has received reports about a series of forged electronic prescriptions for Schedule 8 medicines that have been presented in pharmacies across NSW.
The forged electronic prescriptions share many characteristics with legitimate prescriptions; however, there are minor variations in prescription attributes, particularly contact information, that indicate the forgery. Pharmacists should not assume prescriptions are valid because they were issued electronically.
The Australian Digital Health Agency and the Australian Department of Health are aware of and are investigating these prescriptions. Where possible, these prescriptions have been cancelled and fraudulent prescriber accounts disabled.
Pharmacists must exercise professional caution when dispensing any prescription for a Schedule 8 medicine and not dispense suspicious prescriptions that appear to be forged, altered, or fraudulently obtained.
If presented with a suspected forged electronic prescription, do not dispense it. The electronic prescription should be cancelled to make the token invalid and unable to be used by any person. Dispensing software systems that are up to date with the most recent conformance profile will have a ‘disable’ function that can be used to manage potential fraudulent scripts. If you are not aware of the ‘disable’ functionality within your dispensing software, please contact your dispense vendor with a request for them to provide you with instructions on how to disable an electronic prescription.
Fraudulent prescriptions must be reported to Pharmaceutical Services via the notification form and the police. The Digital Health Agency (fraud@digitalhealth.gov.au) should also be informed.
Pharmacists are reminded to exercise an appropriate level of judgement and due diligence when presented with any prescription for a Schedule 8 medicine written by a medical practitioner they are not familiar with. When verifying Schedule 8 prescriptions, pharmacists must ensure that, in addition to meeting prescription requirements for a valid Schedule 8 medicine, they either know the patient or prescriber or confirm the prescription is valid by independently verifying it with the prescriber. Pharmacists should be aware that forged prescriptions in the name of doctors not registered on Ahpra have also been reported.
More information is available at Reminder for Pharmacists: Requirement to verify Schedule 8 Prescriptions, the Pharmaceutical Services Electronic prescribing webpage Information for community pharmacists and the Australian Digital Health Agency's Electronic Prescribing—For Dispensers.
The recently published Public Health (Tobacco) Amendment Bill 2024 includes amendments to the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966,the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 and the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2022. These changes have been made to align the NSW legislation of vaping goods to the Commonwealth vaping reforms.
The key changes for pharmacists supplying vaping goods are listed below and should be noted to ensure compliance with the updated legislation.
Key changes:
More information for pharmacists can be found at Vaping goods.
Since the program commenced on 1 October, the team has visited more than 50 pharmacies across NSW. The minor issues identified were resolved on the spot, with no further action required. No major compliance issues have been identified.
The team has:
Individuals are using elaborate forgery schemes to obtain Schedule 8 medicines. Examples include requests made via email by a ‘prescriber’ with the ‘patient’ presenting late in the day to collect the medicine. The pharmacist does not receive a valid prescription within 7 days, as is legally required.
To prevent unlawful diversion, misuse, or oversupply of these high-risk medicines, we would like to remind pharmacists of their obligation to verify Schedule 8 prescriptions prior to dispensing.
When presented with a prescription or a request to dispense a Schedule 8 medicine:
By following these guidelines, pharmacists can help combat prescription misuse and ensure the safety of their patients.
After reviewing how people reach us and in an effort to streamline communication and enhance user experience, Pharmaceutical Services is transitioning from the telephone-based Duty Pharmaceutical Officer (DPO) service to a new online enquiry form. This initiative aims to simplify the process for reaching out and improve efficiency and consistency of responses. Responses will be provided within 5 business days.
Our commitment is to make PSU accessible and facilitate easier access to the information you need. We are also reviewing our website to better serve you. We encourage you to browse our Information directory and use the online enquiry form for all future enquiries and feedback. Please note the DPO service will cease on 7 October 2024.
From 1 October 2024 therapeutic vapes containing up to 20mg/mL nicotine will be available in pharmacies for Schedule 3 supply to patients 18 years or over.
The Pharmaceutical Service Unit eCigarette Compliance Team will provide support to wholesalers, pharmacies, and practitioners regarding regulatory compliance. This team will also be responsible for ensuring legal obligations are met, and responsible practices are in place to protect public health and safety.
Information for pharmacists is available at the TGA Vaping Hub and Nicotine vaping.
The Pharmaceutical Services Unit (PSU) is reminding pharmacists of the legislative requirements for dispensing Schedule 8 prescriptions for psychostimulant medicines such as dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine or methylphenidate. Find out more about the requirements for dispensing Schedule 8 psychostimulant medicines.