THE Tasmanian Government has announced that pharmacists around the state will be able to dispense most prescriptions issued by interstate practitioners.
From 16 Feb, Tasmanian pharmacists will be able to dispense interstate prescriptions for controlled drugs, provided the prescription complies with regulation requirements.
This includes psychostimulant medications commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as medicinal cannabis, opioid analgesics, and benzodiazepines.
The Tasmanian branch of the Pharmacy Guild welcomed news.
"This is going to make life easier for Tasmanian patients, and we thank the state government for their work to progress these reforms," Tasmanian branch president Joe O'Malley said.
"When these changes come into place on 16 Feb, patients who access care interstate will no longer need to jump through more hoops just to access medications they've been prescribed," he added.
O'Malley noted that the changes are part of the inquiry into the assessment and treatment of ADHD and support services in making the case for the reform.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia also praised the state government's decision, with Tasmanian branch president Joanne Gross saying it will "reduce the stress on Tasmanians requiring care from interstate prescribers and interstate travellers who require treatment with Schedule 8 and Schedule 4 declared medicines".
The announcement follows the passing of the Poisons Amendment (Interstate Prescriptions) Bill through the Tasmanian Legislative Council in Dec 2025 (PD 04 Dec 2025).
Find out more here. JM
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