The Streamlined Authority Process begins on 1 July 2007

1 July 2007

From 1 July 2007, a large number of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) subsidised medicines that require an authority approval before they can be prescribed will move to a new streamlined authority process.

This improvement is the result of consultations between the Australian Government and the Australian Medical Association (AMA).

The streamlined authority process is designed to reduce the administrative burden on prescribers, as they will no longer have to seek prior telephone or written approval from Medicare Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) before prescribing particular PBS medicines.

The new process will give prescribers more time for patient care, without compromising the integrity and intent of the authority system.

About 200 of the 450 Authority required items listed on the PBS, which equates to 85 individual medicines can be prescribed via the new streamlined authority process.  The items included in the streamlined authority process, valid as at 1 July, are listed at Browse by Streamlined Authorities.

To prescribe a streamlined authority item (labelled as "Authority required (STREAMLINED)" in the Schedule), a doctor will be required to include a ‘streamlined authority code’ on the authority prescription. Streamlined authority codes are listed with the listing of each Authority required (STREAMLINED) item, which can be accessed via Browse by Streamlined Authorities.

For more information see the Streamlined Authority Fact Sheet