THE Poisons Act Amendment (Interstate Prescriptions) Bill 2025 has passed in the Tasmanian Legislative Council, allowing Tasmanian pharmacists to dispense prescriptions written by interstate practitioners, a move welcomed by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).

Tasmanians who access prescriptions via telehealth from the mainland, as well as interstate visitors to the Apple Isle, will benefit from improved access to medicines, provided the prescription complies with the state’s existing requirements.

There are specific requirements for some types of medicine, such as voluntary assisted dying medications, opioid pharmacotherapy and clinical trial medications, and these may not be able to be dispensed.

Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Bridget Archer, said the new laws will make the health system work better for Tasmanians.

“These common-sense reforms will make it easier for Tasmanians to get the medicines they need, no matter where their doctor is based,” Archer said.

“With the growth of telehealth, many Tasmanians now access medical care interstate, but until now, local pharmacists were restricted from dispensing certain prescriptions and these changes remove that barrier.”

The Guild’s Tasmanian Branch President Joe O’Malley congratulated the Parliament and noted the unanimous support for the reform.

“The Pharmacy Guild is delighted to see this Bill passing the Parliament with such strong support,” O’Malley said.

“This reform is all about making medications more accessible for Tasmanian patients and we are really looking forward to these changes coming into place as soon as possible next year.”

PSA Tasmania President Joanna Gross also welcomed the long overdue change, saying Tasmania will no longer be an outlier in outlawing the dispensing of interstate prescriptions for Schedule 8 drugs.

“It will reduce the stress – and in many cases panic – for Tasmanians and interstate travellers who require treatment with Controlled Drugs for conditions such as ADHD, chronic pain or for palliative care,” Gross said.

“This change is overdue.

“Real-time prescription monitoring and electronic prescribing initiatives have dramatically improved patient safety when prescribing and dispensing Controlled Drugs in recent years.”

The reforms are expected to be operational in early 2026. KB

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