Guidelines for Prescribing, Authorising and Dispensing - Australian ...

Schedule 3. Only sold by authorised persons including veterinarians, and cannot
be advertised except as a generic drug group.
Schedule 4. Only sold (dispensed) on prescription – includes prescription animal
remedies and prescription only medicines (registered for use in humans).
Schedules 5, 6, 7. Non-therapeutic chemicals in increasing order of toxicity (with
some restrictions on the availability of S7 products).
Schedule 8. Substances with legitimate therapeutic uses, but which have addictive
or abuse potential.
Schedule 9. Generally have no therapeutic use, and are subject to abuse. Only
available for research.
[In Victoria ketamine and anabolic/androgenic steroids presently are classified in a
special
Schedule 11.]
The purpose of these guidelines is to encourage the prudent and responsible use
of veterinary medicines by all sectors of the veterinary profession. They are
intended to provide a practical and up to date source of information related to the
prescribing, authorising and dispensing of drugs, focusing on the legal and ethical
responsibilities of veterinarians.
2 Definitions
In these guidelines, the following definitions apply:
Advice note
Written advice provided by a prescribing/dispensing veterinarian to a client,
regarding administration of a drug, withholding period, safe handling instructions
etc. in addition to the dispensing labels required on containers.
Animal
Includes mammals, birds, finfish, crustacea and molluscs.
Antibiotic
Any anti-bacterial or anti-fungal agent, including sulphonamides, trimethoprim and
ionophores, but does not include any immunobiological substance. Antibiotics of
direct or indirect human health significance are classed as Schedule 4 (PAR)
veterinary medicines. Low-risk products are generally classed as Schedule 5 or 6.
Authorisation
A veterinary authorisation is a special type of prescription. It is an order to supply or
use but it usually relates to circumstances in which:
� the prescribing veterinarian has established a routine activity or animal health
program (complying with the relevant code of practice for an industry) that
anticipates a use for a PAR product;
� the PAR product is to be supplied by another veterinarian; or
� a feed mill is required to provide stockfeed or premix medicated with a PAR.
Refer to Appendices 10 and 13 for sample forms.
AVA Prescribing and dispensing guidelines
Version 1.0 February 2005
Updated 02/09/08
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