The Department of Health and Aged Care (now the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing – the department) has undertaken a review of medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) that can be prescribed by Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and endorsed midwives, for consideration by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC). Details of the Review of PBS items for prescribing by nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives are available on the PBS website.
At its July 2025 meeting, the PBAC supported NPs prescribing continuing treatment with certain Section 100 Highly Specialised Drugs (HSD) Program medicines, where there is agreement from the treating specialist medical practitioner. The PBAC acknowledged that in practice, it is likely that NPs would already be sharing patient care with medical practitioners, in the context of public hospital outpatient clinics or private hospitals. The July 2025 PBAC Meeting Outcomes are available on the PBS website.
NP prescribing of s100 HSD Program medicines recommended by the PBAC at its July 2025 meeting commence on 1 November 2026.