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Tasmanian legislation
The Tasmanian Poisons Act 1971 and the Poisons Regulations 2018 provides for the possession, supply, and use of medicines and poisons.
Below are the key links to legislation about the supply and prescribing of medicines and poisons in Tasmania. You can also visit www.legislation.tas.gov.au and use the search option.
Tasmanian legislation is updated from time to time in accordance with Parliamentary protocols. Recent changes and consultations are identified below:
Current Consultations
Proposed changes to interstate prescribing
Recent amendments to the Poisons Regulations 2018
- Including salbutamol (S4) and Glyceryl trinitrate (S3) as prescribed substances for first-aid provider use in accordance with section 18A of the Poisons Act 1971 (Regulation 10)
- Prescribing purposes of the monitored medicines database in the Regulations that align with Tasmania’s participation in the national Real Time Prescription Monitoring system (Regulations 95DA and 95F)
- Removing parts of the regulations that no longer serve a purpose since the discontinuation of the previous Real Time Prescription Monitoring system in Tasmania known as DORA (Regulation 124)
- Enabling prescriptions for Schedule 4 Declared Restricted Substances (S4Ds) to be dispensed for up to 12 months from the date of issue, aligning with other Schedule 4 prescriptions, to reduce demand on access to prescribers for these prescriptions (Regulation 51)
- Allowing nurse practitioners to prescribe and supply certain narcotic substances with the authority of the Department of Health Secretary (Regulation 24)
- Enable authorised nurse practitioners to authorise possession and supply of restricted and narcotic substances in certain circumstances (Regulations 26 and 68)
- Enabling registered nurses or midwives operating within approved day-procedure centres and day treatment centres to administer and supply restricted and narcotic substances under the supervision of the Registered Nurse or Midwife in charge, in accordance with instructions provided by a medical practitioner or authorised nurse practitioner (Regulations 26 and 68)
- Enabling the Secretary to approve immunisation programs (Regulations 54A and 82)
- Accurately refer to Schedule 7 ‘dangerous poisons’ as determined in the Poisons List as intended (Regulation 91)
- Requiring substances specified in Schedule 6 of the Poisons List to be stored in such a way as to present access by children, and enabling the issue of an infringement notice for this offence (Regulation 43)
- Allowing for continued dispensing without a prescription in certain circumstances (Regulation 48)
- Exempting prescribers from the requirement to check the monitored medicines database in certain circumstances (Regulation 95G)
- Clarifying the department responsible for the administration of the Disability Services Act 2011 is the body to approve disability service programs for the purpose of authorising an employee to assist another person to self-administer narcotic substances (Regulation 128)
- Adding MDMA and psilocybine as substances to be prescribed only with the authority of the Secretary (Regulation 24)
- Administered by the Tasmanian Department of Health.
- Outline the controls on scheduled substances (including scheduled medicines) to minimise harm to individuals and the community.
- Regulates through licences, permits and authorisations relevant to scheduled medicines and poisons.
- Regulates manufacture, possession, prescribing, dispensing, supply, storage, recording and use of scheduled medicines and poisons.
- Regulatory controls vary depending on the schedule of the substance as listed in the Commonwealth Poisons Standard.
Poisons (Declared Restricted Substances) List
Commonwealth legislation
Useful websites related to medicines and poisons
- Ahpra (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority)
- ANZCA Faculty of Pain Medicine Opioid Dose Equivalence
- Australian Digital Health Agency
- Commonwealth Office of Drug Control
- Department of Health Immunisation Advice
- Medicare Australia
- NPS MedicineWise
- Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
- Pharmacy Guild of Australia
- Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia
- Tasmanian Pharmacy Authority
- Tasmanian School of Pharmacy
- Therapeutic Goods Administration
- Veterinary Board of Tasmania
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