Department of Health

Health practitioners

Medicine and poisons legislative requirements.

The legislative requirements for possessing, prescribing, supplying and using Schedule 4 and Schedule 8 medicines for registered health practitioners are contained in the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 and the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2017.

Practitioners may have different legislative requirements, responsibilities, and lists of approved medicines, depending on their profession and scope of practice.

Reviewed 03 March 2026

Health.vic

Contact details

Postal address: Medicines and Poisons Regulation Department of Health GPO Box 4057 Melbourne VIC 3001

Medicines and Poisons Regulation Department of Health

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