L5 Ethics and legalities 2025_formatted_text

DENT 3005: Introduction to Pharmacology¹

Ethics and legalities

Dr Thuy Linh Truong thuy.truong@uwa.edu.au

Acknowledgement of country²

The University of Western Australia acknowledges that its campus is situated on Noongar land, and that Noongar people remain the spiritual and cultural custodians of their land, and continue to practise their values, languages, beliefs and knowledge.

Artist: Dr Richard Barry Walley OAM

DENT3005: assessment breakdown³

Assessment #	Assessment Task	Weight %	Assessment Period/ date	Module assessed	Waiver
1	SAQ	50%	30/09/25 9AM – 11AM	General Medicine and Pharmacology: all lectures content	No
2	MCQ	50%	Main Campus: Semester 2 examination period	General Medicine and Pharmacology: all lectures content	No

2025 BMD2 SEMESTER 2 TIMETABLE - Final⁴

Week	Date	Day	Start	Finish	Activ	Venue	Unit C	Unit Title	Module	Topic	Lecturer	Module Coordinator	Unit Co-ordr
Week 27	2-Jul-25	Wednesday	9:00	12:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	General Medicine	Medical history and extraoral exam, Cardiology; Respiratory medicine	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 27	2-Jul-25	Wednesday	13:00	15:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	General Medicine	Gastrointestinal tract; Renal Medicine, Liver Disease	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 28	9-Jul-25	Wednesday	13:00	16:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Introduction to pharmacodynamics & pharmacokinetics	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 29	16-Jul-25	Wednesday	13:00	16:00	L	QE2P: [G16] Mary Lockett LT	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Introduction to Toxicology, Ethics and Legalities, Infectious Disease in the Dental Setting	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 30	22-Jul-25	Tuesday	13:00	14:00	L	211 VLC	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	General Medicine	Neurology, Haematology	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 30	23-Jul-25	Wednesday	13:00	14:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Cardiovascular Drugs	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 30	23-Jul-25	Wednesday	14:00	15:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Respiratory Drugs	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 30	23-Jul-25	Wednesday	15:00	16:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Gastrointestinal Drugs	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 30	23-Jul-25	Wednesday	16:00	17:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Renal Drugs	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 32	6-Aug-25	Wednesday	13:00	15:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Hormones Drugs, Dermatological Drugs	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 32	6-Aug-25	Wednesday	15:00	16:00	P	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Practical 1 - Medical history	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 32	6-Aug-25	Wednesday	16:00	17:00	P	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Practical 2 - Drug history	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 32	8-Aug-25	Friday	13:00	17:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	General Medicine	Infectious diseases	A/Prof Omar Kujan	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 33	11-Aug-25	Monday	13:00	15:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	General Medicine	Endocrinology I & II	Dr Janina Christoforou	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 33	13-Aug-25	Wednesday	13:00	16:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Endocrine Drugs (I, II, III)	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 34	20-Aug-25	Wednesday	13:00	16:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Neurological & Psychotropic Medications	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 36	3-Sep-25	Wednesday	13:00	14:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Anaesthesia in the dental setting	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 36	3-Sep-25	Wednesday	14:00	15:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Pain Control	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 36	3-Sep-25	Wednesday	15:00	16:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Complementary Medicines, Special Populations	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 37	8-Sep-25	Monday	15:00	17:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	General Medicine	Rheumatology, Immunology	Dr Janina Christoforou	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 37	9-Sep-25	Tuesday	8:00	9:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	General Medicine/Pharmacology	Emergency Medicine and practical	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 37	10-Sep-25	Wednesday	9:00	12:00	P	211 VLC	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	General Medicine/Pharmacology	Emergency Medicine and practical	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 37	10-Sep-25	Wednesday	13:00	15:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Immunomodulators, Anti-inflammatories	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 37	10-Sep-25	Wednesday	15:00	16:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Haematology Drugs	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 37	10-Sep-25	Wednesday	16:00	17:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Antinfective Drugs	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 38	17-Sep-25	Wednesday	13:00	14:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Antinfective Drugs	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 38	17-Sep-25	Wednesday	14:00	16:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	Pharmacology	Antinfective II, Vaccines	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong	Dr Linh Truong
Week 39	24-Sep-25	Wednesday	13:00	14:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	General Medicine	Oncology	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 39	24-Sep-25	Wednesday	14:00	16:00	L	G15 KKG Sutherland	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	General Medicine	Oral Oncology (Head and Neck)	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 40	30-Sep-25	Tuesday	8:00	12:00	A	HACKH: [G09] Fay Gale Studio	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	In-semester assessment - SAQ	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Magdalen Foo	Dr Linh Truong
Week 41	10-Oct-25	Friday	16:00	18:00	A	206 CSSL	DENT3005	General Medicine and Pharmacology	General Medicine/Pharmacology	Rheumatology Dr Magdalen Foo Dr Magdalen Foo

Learning Outcomes⁵

Learning objectives

1. Understand the ethic principles guiding prescription
2. Understand QUM and its importance
3. Understand Australian scheduling for drugs
4. Understand legal requirements for prescription writing
5. Understand the PBS
6. Understand potential abuse for prescriptions
7. Applied knowledge to clinical scenarios

Six cartoon images of pills fighting bacteria.

Ethical principles⁶

Core ethical principles

1. Beneficence
2. Non-maleficence
3. Autonomy
4. Justice
5. Professional integrity and accountability
6. Evidence based practice
7. Transparency and conflict of interest

Quality use of medicines⁷

• Definition: the use of medicines safely, effectively and wisely
• Key Aims
  • Select the most appropriate medicine
  • Use medicines safely and effectively
  • Minimise misuse and overuse
• Importance
  • Promotes better health outcomes
  • Reduces adverse drug reactions
  • Supports cost-effective healthcare
  • Encourages shared decision-making between consumers and health professionals

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)⁸

Australian government program

• Provides subsidized prescription medicines
• Available to all Australian residents with a Medicare card
• Reduces the cost of many essential medications
• Patients pay a set co-payment; government covers the rest
• Helps ensure access to affordable medications
• Includes a wide range of approved drugs
• Safety Net available for high medicine users
• Managed by the Department of Health and Aged Care

AMOXICILLIN⁹

Source: General Schedule Body System: ANTINFECTIVES FOR SYSTEMIC USE > ANTIBTRACTERALS FOR SYSTEMIC USE > BETA-LACTAM ANTIBATERIALS, PENCILLINS

Code & Prescriber	Medicinal Product Pack (Name, form & strength and pack size)	Max qty packs	Max qty units	No. of repeats	DPMQ	Max Safety Net	General Patient Charge
3300Q	AMOXICILLIN	1	20	0	$16.17	$17.62	$21.07
	amoxicillin 500 mg capsule, 20 (PI, CMI)
	Available brands
	® AMILOXYN
	® AMOXICILLIN-WGR
	® APO-Amoxicillin
	® Alphamox 500
	® Amoxycillin Sandoz
	® Amoxycillin generichealth 500
	® Blooms The Chemist Amoxicillin
	® Cilamox
	® Amoxil	1	20	0	$20.84	$17.62	$25.74
	ⓠ Additional charge for this brand is $4.67

LEGEND: ⓠ Brand premium applies ® Brand equivalent a Ⓓ Dentist Ⓜ Medical Practitioner Ⓦ Midwife Ⓝ Nurse Practitioner

Clinical criteria:¹⁰

• Patient must be a male with acute cystitis; OR
• Patient must have pyelonephritis; OR
• Patient must have a tooth avulsion; OR
• Patient must have salmonella enteritis; OR
• Patient must have community acquired pneumonia; OR
• Patient must have a condition requiring prolonged oral antibiotic therapy.

Code & Prescriber	Medicinal Product Pack (Name, form & strength and pack size)	Max qty packs	Max qty units	No. of repeats	DPMQ	Max Safety Net	General Patient Charge
11947T MP NP	AMOXICILLIN amoxicillin 500 mg capsule, 20 (PI, CMI)	2	40	0	$18.89	$20.34	$23.79
	Available brands
	AMILOXYN
	AMOXICILLIN-WGR
	APO-Amoxycillin
	Alpharnox 500
	Amoxycillin Sandoz
	Amoxycillin generichealth 500
	Blooms The Chemist Amoxicillin
	Cilamox

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)⁸

Under the PBS medicines are categorized based on how they are prescribed and accessed

1. Unrestricted – These medicines can be prescribed without any specific conditions or restrictions
2. Restricted – These can only be prescribed for specific conditions listed on the PBS. The prescriber must ensure the patient meets the criteria
3. Authority Required – These require prior approval (authority) from Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs before prescribing, often for high-cost or specialized medications

Australian drug scheduling¹¹

• National classification system
• Controls how medicines and chemicals are made available to the public
• Medicines and chemicals are classified into Schedules according to…
  • Level of regulatory control over the availability of the medicine
  • Chemical required to protect public health and safety
• The schedules are published by the Poisons Standards: SUSMP

Schedule
S1	Not currently in use
S2	Pharmacy medicine
S3	Pharmacist only medicine
S4	Prescription Only Medicine OR Prescription Animal Remedy
S5	Caution
S6	Poison
S7	Dangerous Poison
S8	Controlled Drug
S9	Prohibited substance
S10	Substances of such danger to health as to warrant prohibition of sale, supply and use

A valid prescription¹²

Prescriptions must include all of the following:

• Name, prescriber number, practice details
• Name of patient
• Medicine name, strength and formulation
  • A many items can fit on one script provided it is legible
• Precise directions for use (dosage and frequency)
  • Where a script has >1 item, ea. will need its own directions
• Quantity to be dispensed
• Number of repeats permitted (if any)
• Date the prescription was issued
• Signature of the prescriber

Prescriber full name
Prescriber qualifications
Practice name
Practice address
Prescriber number
Provider ID (if applicable)
Phone number

Patient's Medicare no.		Patient's Tel no.
Patient's full name
Patient's address		Postcode
Pharmaceutical benefits entitlement no.
PBS Safety Net entitlement cardholder	$\square$	Concessional or dependant RBPS beneficiary or PBS Safety Net concession cardholder $\square$
(tick appropriate boxes)
PBS $\square$	RPBS $\square$	Brand substitution not permitted $\square$

Pharmacist/patient copy

Presc. refers on removal	Date	/	/
Dentist's signature		For dental treatment only

I declare that I have received the above medicinle(s) and any entitlement to a pharmaceutical benefit is correct.	Patient's or agent's signature	Date of supply	/ /
HR87.2008	Agent's address	Prescription is valid for 12 months

Schedule 8 medications¹³

DEFINITION: Substances which may be available for use but require restriction of manufacture, supply, distribution, possession and use to reduce abuse, misuse and physical and psychological dependence

A valid S8 prescription must include

• Full name and address of prescriber
• Date prescription written
• Full name, address and DOB of patient
• Name, description and quantity of medicine to be prescribed
  • Only one type of S8 is allowed on a script
  • BUT 2 items are allowed if it is the same medication but in different formulation
• Precise directions for use
• Number of repeats (if any) and intervals at which they may be dispensed
• Signature of the prescriber

S4 vs S8 Prescription Comparison¹⁴

Field	Left Panel (S4)	Right Panel (S8)
Patient’s Medicare	pharmacist can fill this
Patient’s name	Jane Bubbletea
Patient’s address	not a legality requirement but best practice to add	required
DOB	not a legality	Must have
Age	xx
Weight	only if known, important for ABS
RX 1	PARACETAMOL 500MG QTY 20 tabs 1G every 4-6 hours MAX 4G/24hrs no rpts	Oxycodone 5mg qty 10 CAPS or TABS – must have formulation for S8 5mg every 4-6 hours prn (<3 days) no rpts
RX 2	IBUPROFEN 400MG QTY 20 TABS 400mg every 6-8 hours (<5 days) no rpts	—
SIGNATURE	yours and not the patient’s
Date Validity	all s4 valid for 1 year	s8 only valid 6mo from rx date

Tips and tricks¹⁵

General considerations

1. Write legibly (or type it ☺)
2. Use generic names
3. Include all validity points (patient name, drug, dosing etc)
4. Avoid non-standardised abbreviations
5. Avoid trailing zeros and always use leading zeros

Clinical considerations

1. Consider dose calculation: age, weight, renal function etc
2. Remember the 5 Rights: patient, drug, dose, route, time
3. Check interactions and allergies! – is it true allergy or ADR?

Tips and tricks¹⁵

Legalities considerations

1. Itemise prescription and cross out blank areas under last item to prevent patients adding on additional medications
2. For controlled medications: adhere to state regulations, limit qty and avoid repeats
3. Record prescription by documenting in patient’s clinical notes

Drug abuse¹⁶

• Opioids
  • Oxycodone
  • Codeine
  • Panadeine forte
  • Fentanyl
• Benzodiazepines
  • Diazepam
  • Temazepam
  • Lorazepam
  • Alprazolam
• Patient unaware of addictive properties
• Tolerance
• Dependence
• Addiction

A person with a bottle of pills and a glass of alcohol.

Prescription addiction¹⁷

• Patient selection
  • Medical history
  • Safe Script
  • Red flags
    • Requesting additional scripts
    • Lost scripts, moved house…
• Naloxone
  • Temporarily reverse effect of opioid overdose
  • Aust. Gov offering free of charge
    • No rx required

Prescription scenarios¹⁸

Scenario 1: post-operative pain management after tooth extraction

• Patient: Mr Ohcwa DMD, 40yo
• Procedure: surgical extraction of impacted lower third molar
• Concern: anticipated moderate post-op pain
• Clinical notes
  • Patient underwent extraction of an impacted mandibular third molar
  • Procedure was uneventful, but due to the deep impaction and bone removal, moderate post-op pain is expected
  • No contraindications to NSAIDs
  • Codeine allergy

Prescriptions

• Rx 1: Ibuprofen 400mg qty 30tabs
  • 400mg every 6-8 hourly as required
  • Repeats: 0
• Rx 2: Paracetamol 500mg qty 20 tabs
  • 1G every 4-6 hourly as required, max 4G or paracetamol in any 24 hours
  • Repeats: 0

Prescription scenarios¹⁸

Scenario 2: same patient is back!

• Name: Mr Ohcwa DMD, 40yo
• Medical History: generally fit and well, no history of substance abuse. Allergic to codeine
• Procedure: surgical removal of impacted wisdom teeth (all four), under IV sedation.
• Post-operative complications: significant swelling, trismus, and severe pain unresponsive to paracetamol and NSAIDs
• S8 justification: given patient’s severe post-op pain and allergy to codeine, a short course of oxycodone is indicated
• Follow up plan: review and reassess pain control and healing, transition patient back to non-opioid analgesic asap, if pain persist investigate for infection or dry socket

Rx 1:

References¹⁹

• Therapeutic Goods Administration. Scheduling basics of medicines and chemicals in Australia. Therapeutic Goods Administration. [cited 2025 Apr 17]. Available from: https://www.tga.gov.au/how-we-regulate/ingredients-and-scheduling-medicines-and-chemicals/scheduling-basics-medicines-and-chemicals-Australia
• Western Australian Department of Health. Requirements for prescriptions in Western Australia. Available from: https://www.health.wa.gov.au/articles/a_e/dispensing-prescriptions/requirements-for-prescriptions-in-wa
• Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) | Home. Available from: https://www.pbs.gov.au/pbs/home
• Ritter JM, Flower RJ, Henderson G, Loke YK, MacEwan D, Robinson E, editors. Rang & Dale’s pharmacology. 10th ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier; 2023
• Oral and Dental Expert Group. Therapeutic Guidelines Oral and Dental (Version 3). Therapeutic Guidelines Ltd:2019
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Quality use of medicines [Internet]. Sydney: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care; 2025 [cited 2025 Apr 17]. Available from: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/medication-safety/quality-use-medicines
• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. Code of Ethics for Pharmacists. 2017. Available from: https://www.psa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/PSA-Code-of-Ethics-2017.pdf

Case Studies²⁰

Case 1: prescribing opioids for post-extraction pain

Scenario: Dr Pain has just performed a surgical extraction of an impacted wisdom tooth on a patient known to have a history of substance abuse. The patient requests a prescription for oxycodone for pain relief. Dr Pain knows that non-opioid analgesics could suffice but worries about causing pain if under-prescribing. The patient insists, citing severe pain last time.

Discussion points

Case 2: writing a prescription for benzodiazepines to anxious dental patients²¹

Scenario: a patient scheduled for a complex dental procedure expresses severe dental anxiety. The dentist considers prescribing diazepam to help manage anxiety during treatment. The patient requests a larger quantity than typically prescribed, explaining they want to “use some at home” for relaxation.

Discussion points

Case 3: managing a prescription request from a “doctor shopper”²²

Scenario: during routine history taking, Dr. Smith suspects a patient may be “doctor shopping” — seeking multiple prescriptions for opioids or sedatives from different providers. The patient asks Dr. Smith to write a prescription for codeine despite having received several similar prescriptions recently from other practitioners.

Discussion points

Case 4: a dental colleague requests an oxycodone prescription²³

Scenario: a dental colleague approaches you and asks if you can prescribe oxycodone for their personal use. They mention they have severe dental pain but have not yet seen a medical professional. They say it will be a one-time request and promise to seek medical care soon.

Discussion points

• prescribing?

Example of a legal script – S4²⁴

• Name: Dr Dee Em Dee
• Address: 17 Monash Dr
• Tel: work phone
• PBS prescribing number:
• Patient’s Medicare: pharmacist can fill this
• Patient’s name: Jane Bubbletea
• Patient’s address: not a legality requirement but best practice to add
• DOB: not a legality
• Age: xx
• Weight: only if known, important for ABS

RX

1. PARACETAMOL 500MG QTY 20 tabs
   • 1G every 4-6 hours MAX 4G/24HOURS
   • no rpts
2. IBUPROFEN 400MG QTY 20 TABS
   • 400mg every 6-8 hours ($\le$5days)
   • no rpts

• SIGNATURE: yours and not the patient’s
• Date: all s4 valid for 1 year
• For Dental Use Only

Example of a legal script – S8²⁵

• Name: Dr Dee Em Dee
• Address: 17 Monash Dr
• Tel: work phone
• PBS prescribing number:
• Patient’s Medicare: pharmacist can fill this
• Patient’s name: Jane Bubbletea
• Patient’s address: required
• DOB: Must have
• Age: xx
• Weight: only if known, important for ABS

RX

1. Oxycodone 5mg qty 10 CAPS or TABS – must have formulation for S8
   • 5mg every 4–6 hours prn (≤3 days)
   • no rpts

• SIGNATURE: yours and not the patient’s
• Date: s8 only valid 6mo from rx date
• For Dental Use Only

Prescribing S8 medications²⁶

• Only one S8 medicine (and no other medicine) can be written per prescription page.
• A second S8 may be included if it is the same drug in a different form i.e. oxycodone SR and IR.
• If an unusual dose is prescribed this must be underlined and initialled to confirm it is the intended dose.
• If a verbal order is made the prescriber must send a written prescription within 24 hours to the pharmacy

Schedule 8 medicine

DEFINITION: Substances which may be available for use but require restriction of manufacture, supply, distribution, possession and use to reduce abuse, misuse and physical and psychological dependence.

Prescribing S8 medications²⁶

Validity and Authorization

S8 prescriptions are valid for six months.

Authorisation from the CEO of Health is required for:

• Patients notified as addicts
• Prescription period longer than 60 days in any 12 month period
• Flunitrazepam prescribing. HDWA number is to be endorsed by the prescriber on every prescription for flunitrazepam.

The purpose of authorisation is to:

• Support doctors in the appropriate use of S8 medicines
• Minimise drug dependence
• Reduce abuse and diversion.

Schedule 8 medicine

DEFINITION: Substances which may be available for use but require restriction of manufacture, supply, distribution, possession and use to reduce abuse, misuse and physical and psychological dependence.

Prescribing S8 medications²⁶

Prescribing Regulations

• Self prescribing of S8 medicines is illegal.
• Prescribing S8 medications for immediate family is $\text{strongly discouraged}$.
• If a medical practitioner has concerns about a new/existing patient they are encouraged to check the prescription history of the patient:
  • PSB: 9222 4424 available 8.30am to 4.30pm M-F
  • Medicare Australia Medicines Information Line for information on doctor shoppers on 1800 631 181.

Schedule 8 medicine

DEFINITION: Substances which may be available for use but require restriction of manufacture, supply, distribution, possession and use to reduce abuse, misuse and physical and psychological dependence.

Prescribing S8 medications²⁶

Interstate scripts

• Your Rx may not be valid elsewhere in Aust
• But WA do accept interstate provided they meet the S8 requirements

Advise patients:

• Any repeats of prescriptions dispensed in WA are required to be retained at the pharmacy, who dispensed the original prescription, for repeat dispensing.
• Should they relocate, an application can be made to the pharmacists to transfer the prescription to another pharmacy.

Schedule 8 medicine

DEFINITION: Substances which may be available for use but require restriction of manufacture, supply, distribution, possession and use to reduce abuse, misuse and physical and psychological dependence.

Some examples S8 Medicines²⁷

Generic name	Form	Brand names
Alprazolam	Tablets (IR)	Kalma
		Xanax
		Alprax
		Ralozam
Buprenorphine	Patch (SR)	Norspan
	Sublingual tablet (IR)	Temgesic
	Tablet (IR) *	Subutex
Codeine	Tablet (IR)	Codeine phosphate
	Liquid (IR)	Actacode
Fentanyl	Patch (IR)	Durogesic
Flunitrazepam	Tablet (IR)	Hypnodorm
Hydromorphone	Liquid (IR)	Dilaudid
	Tablet (MR)	Jurnista
Ketamine	Lozenges (oral)	Ketamine
	Intramuscular (IR)	Ketalar
Methadone	Tablet (IR)	Physeptone
	Suppositories	Proladone
	Liquid (IR) *	Methadone

Some examples S8 Medicines²⁷

Generic name	Form	Brand names
Morphine	Tablet (IR)	Anamorph
	Epidural injection (MR)	Depo-Dur
	Tablet (CR)	Kapanol
	Tablet (SR)	Momex
	Tablet (CR)	MS Contin
	Tablet (CR)	MS Mono
	Liquid (IR)	Ordine
	Tablet (IR)	Sevredol
Oxycodone	Tablet (IR)	Endone
	Tablet (MR)	OxyContin
	Capsule (IR)	OxyNorm
	Liquid (IR)	OxyNorm elixir
Oxycodone/naloxone	Tablets (PR)	Targin
Pethidine	Injection (IR)	Pethidine

Footnotes

1. Original PDF page 1: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.1 ↩

2. Original PDF page 2: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.2 ↩

3. Original PDF page 3: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.3 ↩

4. Original PDF page 4: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.4 ↩

5. Original PDF page 5: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.5 ↩

6. Original PDF page 6: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.6 ↩

7. Original PDF page 7: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.7 ↩

8. Original PDF page 8: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.8 ↩ ↩²

9. Original PDF page 9: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.9 ↩

10. Original PDF page 10: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.10 ↩

11. Original PDF page 12: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.12 ↩

12. Original PDF page 13: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.13 ↩

13. Original PDF page 14: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.14 ↩

14. Original PDF page 15: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.15 ↩

15. Original PDF page 16: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.16 ↩ ↩²

16. Original PDF page 18: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.18 ↩

17. Original PDF page 19: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.19 ↩

18. Original PDF page 20: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.20 ↩ ↩²

19. Original PDF page 22: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.22 ↩

20. Original PDF page 23: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.23 ↩

21. Original PDF page 24: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.24 ↩

22. Original PDF page 25: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.25 ↩

23. Original PDF page 26: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.26 ↩

24. Original PDF page 27: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.27 ↩

25. Original PDF page 28: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.28 ↩

26. Original PDF page 29: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.29 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

27. Original PDF page 33: L5 Ethics and legalities 2025, p.33 ↩ ↩²