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Review of PBS Prescriber Bag Schedule

Page last updated: 23 October 2025

Overview

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (the Department) is currently undertaking a review of the medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Prescriber Bag Schedule (the Review), for consideration by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC).

The Prescriber Bag, also known as the Doctor’s Bag, is a separate PBS Schedule that enables authorised health practitioners to obtain and supply certain pharmaceutical benefits directly to patients without the need for a prescription. This arrangement facilitates quick access to specific medicines for short term, emergency use.

At its August 2024 Executive meeting, the PBAC noted stakeholder views that current Prescriber Bag medicines were no longer suitable for use in the contemporary emergency medicine setting. The PBAC requested that the Department undertake a review of the PBS Prescriber Bag, which should include a utilisation analysis of Prescriber Bag medicines, and targeted consultation with key stakeholders on the medicines that would best support emergency care. The PBAC stated that the purpose of the Review is to ensure that the PBS Prescriber Bag supports emergency patient care through inclusion of pharmaceutical benefits that reflect contemporary best emergency practice and are efficacious and safe.

In December 2024, the Department commenced the Review by writing to key stakeholders, seeking input to inform the Review. In parallel with the stakeholder consultation process, the Department conducted a utilisation analysis of Prescriber Bag items, using PBS data over the 2018-2024 period.

Stakeholder consultation

Between 20 December 2024 and 28 February 2025, the Department invited key stakeholders to provide input on medicines suitable for inclusion in the PBS Prescriber Bag to support emergency patient care, are efficacious and safe, and reflect contemporary best emergency practice. The Department welcomed all responses from interested individuals and organisations.

The findings from the stakeholder consultation on Prescriber Bag medicines are being presented to the PBAC over several meetings.

PBAC considerations relating to the PBS Review

May 2025 intracycle meeting

At its May 2025 intracycle meeting, the Department sought the PBAC’s advice on the purpose and intent of the Prescriber Bag to inform the Review. The PBAC noted issues raised in stakeholder submissions and reiterated that the purpose of the Prescriber Bag is to provide medicines for emergency care.

September 2025 intracycle meeting

At the September 2025 intracycle meeting, the PBAC considered stakeholder input for the following:

  1.  current Prescriber Bag listings that could be removed without replacement
  2. addition of alternate strengths of current Prescriber Bag listings
  3.  increased maximum quantities of current Prescriber Bag listings
  4. new medicine additions that could either replace an existing Prescriber Bag item or be listed in addition to the existing option(s).

The PBAC also considered a submission from the Australian College of Midwives which sought to add endorsed midwives as eligible prescribers of benzathine benzylpenicillin injection and adrenaline ampoules.

The PBAC reviewed all existing Prescriber Bag listings (i.e. independently of whether stakeholders provided input on a particular medicine). The suitability of each medicine for Prescriber Bag listing was considered in the context of the following summarised algorithm:

1

TGA Registration status: the medicine is TGA registered for the proposed use.

2

Primary care context: the medical condition that the medicine treats is likely to result in a patient seeking treatment in a primary health care setting.

3

Treatment immediacy: the medical condition is acute, and the medicine is intended for immediate, ‘on the spot’ administration (or with assistance) to the patient as a one-off dose.

4

Quality use of medicines (QUM) considerations: the comparative effectiveness, safety and cost of the medicine relative to alternative options has been considered; potential wastage; the medicine’s scheduling, storage requirements, typical shelf life of the medicine and labelling requirements.

The PBAC’s September 2025 meeting recommendations are summarised in the document below:

Next steps

At a later meeting in 2025, advice will be sought from the PBAC on new additions to the Prescriber Bag proposed by stakeholders.

Information on upcoming items for consideration by the PBAC are available in the PBAC Meeting Agenda. PBAC meeting outcomes are published on the PBS website six weeks following each meeting.

PBAC recommendations arising from the Review of the Prescriber Bag will be implemented as part of routine monthly changes to the PBS schedule.

All authorised prescribers are encouraged to check the Summary of Changes published at the beginning of each new calendar month for changes to PBS listings.