The Government welcomes the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s decision to remove a number of restrictions on health professionals who prescribe and dispense MS-2 Step (mifepristone and misoprostol).
The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s decision has been made in response to an application from MS Health and will take effect from 1 August.
Previously, medical practitioners were required to register and be certified to prescribe MS-2 Step and pharmacists had to register to dispense it. These additional regulatory steps meant only 1 in 10 medical practitioners can prescribe MS-2 Step and 3 in 10 pharmacists can dispense it.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has also recommended, based on independent clinical expertise, that prescription of MS-2 Step by nurse practitioners be subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
The TGA’s decision brings Australia in line with comparable international jurisdictions, such as Canada, and will improve access to health care for women seeking a medical termination.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney:
“We welcome these changes that remove red tape and improve equitable access to healthcare for all Australians.
“We know that women experience structural barriers trying to access the health care that they need, particularly in regional and rural areas. That’s why it’s so important that all health practitioners can perform the care that they are already trained to provide.
“These changes recognise the importance of health practitioners that women see regularly – their GP, their nurse practitioner and their community pharmacist.
“Our Government has no higher priority than strengthening primary care, and welcome the changes that allow these trusted and highly skilled providers to provide care within their scope of practice.”
