‘No longer an outlier’ Tasmanian pharmacists welcome interstate prescription rule change

3 December 2025

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes the passage of the Poisons Amendment (Interstate Prescriptions) Bill through the Tasmanian Legislative Council earlier today. The bill means Tasmania will no longer be an outlier in outlawing the dispensing of interstate prescriptions for Controlled Drugs (Schedule 8 medicines).

 

Under the changes, from early next year, Tasmanian pharmacists will be able to dispense a prescription for a Controlled Drug that has been issued interstate, as long as the prescription complies with the requirements of Tasmanian regulations.

 

This will include the psychostimulant medications commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), medicinal cannabis, opioid analgesics and benzodiazepines.

 

The Bill was welcomed by Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) Tasmania President Joanne Gross MPS:

 

“We thank Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing Bridget Archer for progressing this small but significant regulatory change. 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.

 

“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.

 

“Tasmania is a popular holiday destination with many interstate travellers unexpectedly finding themselves unable to have their prescriptions filled. These reforms will enable local pharmacists to provide continuity of medicine access for these travellers.”

 

“PSA has a long history of advocating for harmonisation of regulations and legislation across the country. We’re glad to see Tasmania address this long-standing barrier to patients accessing their essential medicines.”

 

“PSA is committed to supporting members through this change when it takes effect early next year.”