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Highly Specialised Drugs Program (Public Hospital)

For Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Highly Specialised Drugs prescribed through public hospitals, claiming and approval of authority prescriptions is administered by Services Australia. Highly Specialised Drugs prescribed in public hospitals are Authority Required items. Application for authorisation can be made by either:

  • posting an Authority Prescription form and other application form(s), where applicable to Services Australia
  • using the form upload facility in Health Professional Online Services (HPOS)
  • using the Online PBS Authorities system (see www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/HPOS)
  • using the Services Australia free-call service for PBS Complex Drugs Programs enquiries (1800 700 270) or
  • using the appropriate Streamlined code.

Prescribers must quote the provider number of the hospital when applying. Maximum quantities and repeats for Highly Specialised Drugs are listed in the PBS Schedule. Authority approvals are required for prescriptions where the dose is above the determined maximum quantity and/or number of repeats.

Public hospital prescriptions for Highly Specialised Drugs can be dispensed by public hospital pharmacies and some of these prescriptions can be dispensed by a community pharmacy. A patient may be required to pay a contribution for each supply of a highly specialised drug at a similar rate to the PBS. Commonwealth subsidy is not available for hospital in-patients.

Reciprocal Health Care Agreement – Where a patient is entitled to be treated as an eligible person as a visitor from a country with which Australia has entered into a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement, the supply will be limited to the original prescription only. Repeat prescriptions for these patients are not permitted.

  • Legend
  • MPMedical Practitioner
Prescriber code Item code Name, manner of administration and form & strength Max qty
packs
Max qty
units
No. of
repeats
MP 13825P NATALIZUMABnatalizumab 150 mg/mL injection, 2 x 1 mL syringes 1 2 5
MP 9505G NATALIZUMABnatalizumab 300 mg/15 mL injection, 15 mL vial 1 1 5
MP 13817F NIVOLUMAB + RELATLIMABnivolumab 240 mg/20 mL + relatlimab 80 mg/20 mL injection, 20 mL vial 2 2 11
MP 13830X NIVOLUMAB + RELATLIMABnivolumab 240 mg/20 mL + relatlimab 80 mg/20 mL injection, 20 mL vial 2 2 8
MP 11363C NUSINERSENnusinersen 12 mg/5 mL intrathecal injection, 5 mL vial 1 1 3
MP 11378W NUSINERSENnusinersen 12 mg/5 mL intrathecal injection, 5 mL vial 1 1 0
MP 12177X NUSINERSENnusinersen 12 mg/5 mL intrathecal injection, 5 mL vial 1 1 3
MP 12972R NUSINERSENnusinersen 12 mg/5 mL intrathecal injection, 5 mL vial 1 1 3
MP 13052Y NUSINERSENnusinersen 12 mg/5 mL intrathecal injection, 5 mL vial 1 1 3
MP 13068T NUSINERSENnusinersen 12 mg/5 mL intrathecal injection, 5 mL vial 1 1 0
MP 13083N NUSINERSENnusinersen 12 mg/5 mL intrathecal injection, 5 mL vial 1 1 3
MP 13084P NUSINERSENnusinersen 12 mg/5 mL intrathecal injection, 5 mL vial 1 1 0
MP 14095W NUSINERSENnusinersen 12 mg/5 mL intrathecal injection, 5 mL vial 1 1 0
MP 14099C NUSINERSENnusinersen 12 mg/5 mL intrathecal injection, 5 mL vial 1 1 3