17Substitution of lesser priced alternative brand of drug

17  Substitution of lesser priced alternative brand of drug

  Where a valid prescription, issued by a Medical Practitioner, Authorised Nurse Practitioner or Authorised Midwife, prescribes a brand of drug listed on the PBS or RPBS Schedule, a Community Pharmacist may substitute, with the approval of the prescriber, a lesser priced alternative PBS or RPBS listed brand of the drug in lieu of the brand prescribed and shall endorse the original, duplicate and repeat authorisation accordingly.

Note: an RPBS prescriber who is an Authorised Midwife or an Authorised Nurse Practitioner may only prescribe a Pharmaceutical benefit listed on the PBS and a prescription by an Authorised Midwife or an Authorised Nurse Practitioner for a Pharmaceutical benefit that is not available on the PBS is not recognised under the Scheme, even if the Pharmaceutical benefit is available under the Scheme on the prescription of, say, an Approved Medical Practitioner.