Regulatory requirements and resources
There are various regulatory requirements under the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996 regarding the prescribing of scheduled drugs of dependence (S8), including script requirements, and approvals/reports to the Chief Executive for the treatment of patients with known drug dependency.
Treatment involving drugs of dependence
You need to complete a treatment report if you wish to treat a:
- known drug dependent person (PDF 432 kB), with a drug of dependence (controlled drug, S8) or restricted drug (s4) of dependency
- person with a S8, for more than 8 weeks
- person with any "specified condition drug" other than for attention deficit disorder in a child or for treatment of narcolepsy.
This report is known as a Report to the Chief Executive:
Scripts
Requirements for a valid schedule 8 script:
- Schedule 8 (S8) prescriptions are valid for 6 months
- S8 prescriptions are valid if the following is provided:
- full name, professional qualifications and address of the prescriber
- full name, address and date of birth of the patient
- the description and quantity (in words and figures) of the medicines to be dispensed
- adequate directions for use
- number of repeats (if any) and intervals at which they may be dispensed
- words "specified condition" if the S8 drug prescribed is amphetamine, dexamphetamine, methylamphetamine, methylphenidate or lisdexamphetamine
- signature of the prescriber.
- For computer generated S8 paper prescriptions the information italicised must also be written in the doctor's own handwriting
- Only one S8 medication can be written on a prescription, except where multiple items are different forms of the same drug
- No other prescription medication can be written on an S8 prescription
- S8 prescriptions must not be written by a prescriber for self-administration.
- Pharmacists can dispense an interstate S8 scripts as long as it fulfils these requirements.
- Dispensing quantity and frequency (PDF 99 kB) your obligations to report occasions when you are asked to dispense more medications than appears to be reasonably necessary.
Contact Us
Tel: 13 78 46
Fax: 07 3708 5431
Email: MRQ@health.qld.gov.au
Last updated: 31 May 2018
