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Pharmaceutical Benefits for Palliative Care

PREPARATIONS WHICH MAY BE PRESCRIBED FOR PATIENTS RECEIVING PALLIATIVE CARE

The prescribing of medications listed in this section is in accordance with the requirements for General Pharmaceutical Benefits in the Schedule unless otherwise detailed in the listing for the item.

In addition, certain additional principles have been applied by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) in recommending the patients for whom these medications may be prescribed, and the number of repeats that may be approved by Services Australia. These principles have been encompassed in the listings for the items, and further details are provided below to assist doctors prescribing under this section.

For the purposes of this section a patient receiving palliative care is defined as:

  • A patient with an active, progressive, far-advanced disease for whom the prognosis is limited and the focus of care is the quality of life.

Most palliative care listings are available as “Authority Required” (Streamlined) or Restricted Benefits, intended to provide up to four months therapy in total (as an original prescription with repeats). Subsequent continuing therapy can be prescribed on consecutive occasions under these listings if required.

Prior approval from Services Australia is not required to prescribe an ‘Authority Required’ (Streamlined) item where the quantity and number of repeats are not more than stated in the listing. “Authority Required” (Streamlined) items are written on an authority prescription form and must include a four-digit streamlined authority code.

Prior approval from Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) is required for each prescription to prescribe quantities and/or repeats above the number in the listing. (Refer to Prescribing Medicines — Information for PBS prescribers and Supplying Medicines — What Pharmacists Need to Know, for more information on authority prescriptions.) For prior DVA approval to prescribe certain palliative care medicines not included in the PBS Palliative Care Section please contact Veterans' Affairs Pharmaceutical Approvals Centre.

State and Territory requirements: Nurse practitioners may prescribe medicines as private prescriptions according to their State/Territory prescribing accreditation. The medicines which can be prescribed differ between states and territories. It is the responsibility of all prescribers to ensure adherence to State/Territory law for all prescriptions (PBS and private) and additionally to all PBS requirements for PBS prescriptions.

When a Palliative Care authority application is for an opioid, the following guidelines apply:

  • the maximum quantity authorised is generally for 1 month’s therapy;
  • where supply for a longer period is warranted, quantities for up to 3 months’ therapy may be approved via written applications.

Prescribers should state (on the prescription) the interval of repeat where repeats are called for, and ensure State/Territory health authorities are notified about ongoing treatment.

Prescribers may also prescribe PBS items included in the general Schedule for patients receiving palliative care. This includes opioid preparations, according to the restrictions that apply to individual items and the requirements that apply to the general Schedule.

Further information can be found in the factsheets.

  • Legend
  • PPalliative care items
  • MPMedical Practitioner
  • NPNurse Practitioner
  • SO
    Products that are in a Supply Only state will be available for dispensing, but not for prescribing. PBS Prescriptions written prior to the Supply Only period are able to be dispensed using either the Supply Only product where available, or an equivalent product as specified on the PBS schedule.
    Supply Only
Prescriber code Item code Name, manner of administration and form & strength Max qty
packs 		Max qty
units 		No. of
repeats
MPNP 5426N MACROGOL-3350macrogol-3350 1 g/g powder for oral liquid, 510 g 2 2 3
MPNP 5389P MACROGOL-3350 + SODIUM CHLORIDE + BICARBONATE + POTASSIUM CHLORIDEmacrogol-3350 13.125 g + sodium chloride 350.7 mg + sodium bicarbonate 178.5 mg + potassium chloride 46.6 mg powder for oral liquid, 30 sachets 2 2 3
MPNP 12481X METHADONEmethadone hydrochloride 10 mg/mL injection, 5 x 1 mL ampoules 24 120 0
MPNP 5399E METHADONEmethadone hydrochloride 5 mg/mL oral liquid, 200 mL 1 200 2
MPNP 5400F METHADONEmethadone hydrochloride 5 mg/mL oral liquid, 200 mL 1 200 0
MPNP 12520Y METHADONEmethadone hydrochloride 10 mg tablet, 20 6 120 0
MPNP 14193B METHADONEmethadone hydrochloride 10 mg/mL injection, 5 x 1 mL vials 24 120 0
MPNP 5423K METHYLNALTREXONEmethylnaltrexone bromide 12 mg/0.6 mL injection, 0.6 mL vial 7 7 0
MPNP 5424L METHYLNALTREXONEmethylnaltrexone bromide 12 mg/0.6 mL injection, 7 x 0.6 mL vials 1 7 0
MPNP 10762K METOCLOPRAMIDEmetoclopramide hydrochloride 10 mg/2 mL injection, 10 x 2 mL ampoules 4 40 2
MPNP 12507G METOCLOPRAMIDEmetoclopramide hydrochloride 10 mg tablet, 25 4 100 5
MPNP 12476P MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 15 mg modified release tablet, 28 2 56 0
MPNP 5394X MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 20 mg tablet, 20 1 20 2
MPNP 5391R MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 200 mg modified release tablet, 28 2 56 0
MPNP 12502B MORPHINEmorphine hydrochloride trihydrate 10 mg/mL injection, 5 x 1 mL ampoules 2 10 1
MPNP 14655H MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 30 mg tablet, 20 1 20 2
MPNP 12500X MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 30 mg modified release tablet, 28 2 56 0
MPNP 12492L MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 5 mg modified release tablet, 28 2 56 0
MPNP 12494N MORPHINEmorphine hydrochloride trihydrate 20 mg/mL injection, 5 x 1 mL ampoules 2 10 1
MPNP 12470H MORPHINEmorphine hydrochloride trihydrate 50 mg/5 mL injection, 5 x 5 mL ampoules 2 10 1
MPNP 12537W MORPHINEmorphine hydrochloride trihydrate 100 mg/5 mL injection, 5 x 5 mL ampoules 2 10 1
MPNP 12544F MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 60 mg modified release tablet, 28 2 56 0
MPNP 12472K MORPHINEmorphine hydrochloride trihydrate 10 mg/mL oral liquid, 200 mL 2 400 1
MPNP 14187Q MORPHINEmorphine hydrochloride trihydrate 10 mg/mL oral liquid, 200 mL 2 400 1
MPNP 12549L MORPHINEmorphine hydrochloride trihydrate 5 mg/mL oral liquid, 200 mL 2 400 1
MPNP 14186P MORPHINEmorphine hydrochloride trihydrate 5 mg/mL oral liquid, 200 mL 2 400 1
MPNP 13742G MORPHINEmorphine sulfate 10 mg/5 mL oral solution, 100 mL 10 1000 1
MPNP 13741F MORPHINEmorphine sulfate 10 mg/5 mL oral solution, 300 mL 7 2100 1
MPNP 13743H MORPHINEmorphine sulfate 2 mg/mL oral solution, 100 mL 10 1000 1
MPNP 13748N MORPHINEmorphine sulfate 2 mg/mL oral solution, 500 mL 4 2000 1
MPNP 11760Y MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 10 mg modified release capsule, 28 1 28 0
MPNP 12501Y MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 10 mg modified release capsule, 28 2 56 0
MPNP 12529K MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 100 mg modified release capsule, 28 2 56 0
MPNP 14081D MORPHINEmorphine hydrochloride trihydrate 10 mg/mL oral liquid, 20 mL 20 400 1
MPNP 12512M MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 120 mg modified release capsule, 14 2 28 0
MPNP 11761B MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 20 mg modified release capsule, 28 1 28 0
MPNP 12539Y MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 20 mg modified release capsule, 28 2 56 0
MPNP 12490J MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 30 mg modified release capsule, 14 2 28 0
MPNP 12489H MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 50 mg modified release capsule, 28 2 56 0
MPNP 12487F MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 60 mg modified release capsule, 14 2 28 0
MPNP 12514P MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 90 mg modified release capsule, 14 2 28 0
MPNP 12499W MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 10 mg/mL injection, 5 x 1 mL ampoules 2 10 1
MPNP 12548K MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 15 mg/mL injection, 5 x 1 mL ampoules 2 10 1
MPNP 12503C MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 30 mg/mL injection, 5 x 1 mL ampoules 2 10 1
MPNP 5393W MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 10 mg tablet, 20 1 20 2
MPNP 12547J MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 10 mg modified release tablet, 28 2 56 0
MPNP 12483B MORPHINEmorphine sulfate pentahydrate 100 mg modified release tablet, 28 2 56 0