Regulation 49
Under regulation 49 (previously referred to as regulation 24), original and repeat supplies of pharmaceutical benefits can be supplied at the one time if a medical practitioner, a midwife or a nurse practitioner is first satisfied that certain conditions apply, then endorses the PBS prescription ‘one supply'. RPBS prescriptions may be endorsed 'hardship conditions apply'.
The medical practitioner, midwife or nurse practitioner must first be satisfied all the following conditions apply:
- the maximum PBS quantity is insufficient for the patient's treatment; AND
- the patient has a chronic illness or lives in a remote area where access to PBS supplies is limited; AND
- the patient would suffer great hardship trying to get the pharmaceutical benefit on separate occasions.
Regulation 49 does not apply for supply of pharmaceutical benefits on optometrist or dentist prescriptions.
To dispense a Regulation 24 prescription:
- Follow usual steps of Dispensing a Standard prescription
- Stop at Field 13
- In Field 13 (Qty) enter the total quantity to be supplied. As this will be greater than the PBS Quantity you will
be prompted with a selection box to provide a reason for the increase.
- Use the ↓ to select Regulation 24
- In Field 14 (Rpts) enter the number of repeats being supplied to obtain the total quantity, i.e. if the PBS
quantity is usually 30 plus 1 repeat enter a quantity of 60 recording 1 repeat. Please note that no repeat
authorisation form will print as all repeats are to be dispensed at once.