The deadline for mandatory changes to the Active Ingredient Prescribing (AIP) have been extended due to the impact of COVID-19 and the Australian bushfires. All eligible Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Repatriation PBS (RPBS) prescriptions generated from 1 February 2021 will need to comply with the new AIP requirements.

The Department of Health is continuing to work closely with stakeholders, including prescribing software vendors, to implement the change, and vendors are progressing well to meet this timeframe.

The Department has released a number of communication and educational materials relating to AIP. These documents are now available on the NPS website and the PBS website. Additional information for prescribers will be available in the near future.