PBS Safety Net early supply for 60-day prescriptions

Page last updated: 1 December 2023

The PBS Safety Net early supply rule means that for some PBS medicines a repeat supply of the same medicine within less than a specified interval will fall outside the Safety Net. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) has recommended that a 50-day Safety Net Rule be applied to 60-day prescription items to discourage stockpiling and reduce the quantity of unused medicines in the community.

From 1 December 2023, the PBS Safety Net early supply rule that applies to 60-day prescriptions will be extended from within 20 days, to within 50 days of a previous supply of a 60-day prescription of the same medicine or any brand of an equivalent medicine to the same person, under ‘immediate supply’ provisions.

If the previous supply of the same medicine was not a 60-day prescription, the early supply period remains 20 days.

Refer to the Safety Net early supply rule - List of medicines for further information.