Pharmaceutical Benefits Regulations (Amendment)

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STATUTORY RULES.

1951. No. .

REGULATIONS UNDER THE PHARMACEUTICAL BENEFITS ACT 1947-1950.*

I, THE ADMINISTRATOR of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Act 1947-1950.

Dated this twenty fourth day of October, 1951.

J. NORTHCOTT

Administrator.

By His Excellency’s Command,

Minister of State for Health

AMENDMENTS OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL BENEFITS REGULATIONS.†

Claims for payment.

1. Regulation 29 of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulations (1.) and (2.) and inserting in their stead the following sub-regulations:—

“(1.) A claim for payment in respect of the supply of pharmaceutical benefits shall be—

(a) made in accordance with a form approved by the Director-General;

(b) made in respect of prescriptions dispensed during one month only; and

“(2) Except where the Director-General, in special circumstances, otherwise directs, a claim for payment in respect of the supply of pharmaceutical benefits by an approved pharmaceutical chemist, an approved medical practitioner or an approved hospital authority who is the proprietor of a private hospital at which a pharmaceutical chemist is employed, shall be accompanied by—

(a) the originals of the prescriptions, or of the repeat authorizations, upon presentation and surrender of which the pharmaceutical benefits were supplied;

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on , 1951.

† Statutory Rules 1950, No. 48, as amended by Statutory Rules 1950, Nos. 51, 55, 62 and 94; and 1951, Nos. 15 and 89.

5252.—PRICE 5D. 9/22.10.1951

(b) a tally sheet in accordance with a form approved by the Director-General of prescriptions dispensed during the month in respect of which the claim is made; and

(c) where a pharmaceutical benefit was supplied in circumstances in which the person obtaining the benefit was required to furnish a statement in accordance with Form F —that statement.”.

Second Schedule.

2.—(1.) The Second Schedule to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting from the definition of “U” the word “and”;

(b) by inserting after that definition the following definition:—

“‘U.S.A.’ means United States of America;”;

“11B	BENZHEXOL HYDRO-CHLORIDE	..........	2 mg. tab............	100	1
	BENZHEXOL HYDRO-CHLORIDE	..........	5 mg. tab............	100	1”;

(d) by inserting after Item 16 the following Item:—

“16A	CALCIUM PARA-AMINOSALICYLATE	..........	100 G. tin...........	1	1
	CALCIUM PARA-AMINOSALICYLATE	..........	400 G. tin ...........	1	1”;

(e) by inserting after Item 17 the following Item:—

“17A	CAMOQUIN HYDRO-CHLORIDE	..........	0.2 G. tab............	25	..”;
	CAMOQUIN HYDRO-CHLORIDE

(f) by inserting after Item 26 the following Item:—

“26A	DAPSONE.. ..		..........	100 mg. tab...........		100		..”;
(g) by inserting after Item 32 the following Item:—
“32A		DIASONE .. ..	..........		0.33 G. tab...........		200		1”;

(h) by inserting after Item 33 the following Item:—

“33A	DIETHAZINE HYDRO-CHLORIDE	..........	0.05 G. tab...........	100	1
	DIETHAZINE HYDRO-CHLORIDE	..........	0.25 G. tab...........	100	1”;

(i) by inserting after Item 34 the following Item:—

“34A	DIGIFORTIS	..........	½ gr. tab............	50	1
		..........	1 gr. tab............	50	1”;

(j) by inserting after Item 37 the following Item:—

“37A

DIHYDROCODEINONE TARTRATE

..........

1/13 gr. tab..........

..”;

(k) by inserting after Item 40 the following Item:—

“40A	DIIODOHYDROXYQUINO-LINE	..........	0.21 G. tab..........	100	1
	DIIODOHYDROXYQUINO-LINE		0.3 G. tab...........	100	1”;

(l) by inserting after Item 45 the following Item:—

“45A	DIPTHERIA PROPHYLATIC	..........	1 cc. amp...........	2	1
	DIPTHERIA PROPHYLATIC	..........	5 cc. vial............	1	..
	(Purified Toxoid Aluminium Phosphate)	..........	10 cc. vial...........	1	..”;

(m) by inserting after Item 54 the following Items:—

“54A	ESTOPEN.............	..........	500,000 U. vial......	6	..
“54B	ETHOPROPAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE	..........	50 mg. tab..........	100	1”;

(n) by inserting after Item 65 the following Item:—

“65A	HEPARIN RETARD......	20,000 U.	2 mil. amp..........	6	..”;
	HEPARIN RETARD......	per 2 mil.

(o) by inserting after Item 87 the following Item:—

“87A

MEPROCHOL..........

3 mg. per cc

1 cc. amp..........

..”;

(p) by inserting after Item 88 the following Item:—

“88A	MERCURAMIDE with THEOPHYLLINE	..........	1 cc. amp..........	6	..
	MERCURAMIDE with THEOPHYLLINE	..........	2 co. amp..........	6	..
		..........	5 cc. amp..........	6	..
		..........	10 cc. amp.........	6	..

(q) by inserting after Item 120 the following Items:—

“120A	PERNAEMON CRUDUM	..........	2 cc. amp..........	6	1
		..........	10 cc. amp.........	1	1
“ 120B	PERNAEMON FORT.....	...........	1 cc. amp..........	6	1
		..........	5 cc. amp..........	1	1
“120C	PERNEXIN ...........	..........	2 cc. amp..........	3	1”;

(r) by inserting after Item 122 the following Item:—

“122A

PETHIDINE SCOPOLAMINE Pethidine Hydrochloride 100 mg. Scopolamine 0.43 mg.

..........

2 cc. amp...........

..”;

(s) by inserting after Item 124 the following Items:—

“124A	PHENINDAMINE TARTRATE	..........	25 mg. tab..........	100	1
“ 124B	PHENOBARBITONE.....	3.1 gr. per 5 cc.	5 cc. amp..........	6	..
		3 gr. per cc.	1 cc. amp..........	6	..”;

(t) by inserting after Item 12’5 the following Item:—

“125A

PHTHALYLSULPHACE-TAMIDE

..........

0.5 G. tab...........

100

1”;

(u) by inserting after Item 127 the following Item:—

“127A

PHYSOSTIGMINE SULPHATE

..........

1/100 gr. hypo. tab.

..”;

(v) by inserting after Item 152 the following Items:—

“152A	STILBAMIDINE ISETHIONATE	..........	0.15 G. amp........	10	..
“152B	STILBOESTROL........	..........	1 mg. amp..........	6	..
		..........	5 mg. amp..........	6	..
		..........	1 mg. tab..........	100	1
		..........	5 mg. tab..........	100	1”;

(w) by omitting Item 164 and inserting in its stead the following Item:—

“164

SOLAPSONE ..........

..........

7½ gr. tab..........

200

..”

(x) by inserting after Item 168 the following Item:—

“168A	TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE	25 mg. per cc.	1 cc. amp............	12	..
	TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE	50 mg. per cc.	1 cc. amp............	12	..
		50 mg. per cc.	10 cc. vial...........	1	..”;

(y) by inserting after Item 171 the following Item:—

“171A	THIACETAZONE.....	.. ..	25 mg. tab...........	100	..
		.. ..	50 mg. tab...........	50	..”;

and

(z) in accordance with the Schedule to these Regulations.

(2.) In the Schedule to these Regulations, “words” includes letters, figures and symbols.

Third Schedule.

3.—(1.) The Third Schedule to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Regulations is amended by omitting Table A and inserting in its stead the following table:—

“TABLE A.

Class of Pharmaceutical Benefit.	Type of Container.	Additional Amount.
Ampoules......................	Powder slide........	Size 6—5d.; size 12—6d.; size 24—6d.
Hypodermic tablets................	Vial.............	2d.
Sulphonamide tablets...............	Tablet bottle size 100	5d.
Tablets (except as above) and pills	Tablet bottles.......	Size 25—3d.; size 50—4d.; size 100—5d.

(2.) The amendments effected by this regulation shall have effect with respect to—

(a) pharmaceutical benefits supplied on presentation of prescriptions written on or after the first day of September, 1951; and

(b) where, in the case of prescriptions written before that date, pharmaceutical benefits are supplied on presentation of those prescriptions for a second or a subsequent time on or after that date—pharmaceutical benefits so supplied.

Amendments not to apply to certain cases.

4.—(1.) Notwithstanding the amendments of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Regulations effected by regulations 1 and 2 of these Regulations, the provisions of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Regulations, as in force immediately before the date of commencement of these Regulations, shall continue to apply in relation to the supply of pharmaceutical benefits upon presentation, whether before or after that date, of prescriptions written before that date.

(2.) Nothing in this regulation shall be deemed to affect the operation of sub-regulation (2.) of regulation 3 of these Regulations.

THE SCHEDULE. Reg. 2.

AMENDMENTS OF SECOND SCHEDULE TO PRINCIPAL REGULATIONS.

Item No.			Amendments in Columns 3, 4, 5 and 6.
2	Add—
	“		1 in 100............	10 cc. vial............	1	..”
22	Omit line 4				1
45	Add—		“..................	Set containing 9 amps. each 1 cc. Toxoid undiluted and 3 amps, of 1 cc. Toxoid diluted	1	..”
52	Before line 1 insert—
	“.		..................	0.6 cc. amp...........	6	..
			..................	1 cc. amp............	6	..”
72	Omit from Column 5 the figure “20” (wherever occurring), insert “100” Insert, in column 6 lines 4, 5, 6 and 7, “1”
89	Omit lines 3 and 4
90	Omit lines 2 and 3
92	Before line 1 insert—
	“		0.6%............	½ oz. bottle...........	1	..”
101	Omit all words, insert—
	“		..................	1 cc. amp............	6	..
			..................	1 hypo. tab...........	20	..
			per cc..............	10 cc. vial............	1	..”
102	Omit lines 2 and 3
116	After line 2 insert—
	“		1½ gr. per 5 cc........	5 cc. amp............	6	..”
122	After line 4 insert—
	“	50 mg. per cc.......		50 cc. bottle...........	1	..”
138	Add— “	0.5 G. per 10 cc.....		10 cc. amp............	6	1”
167a	Add— “	................		10 cc. vial ............	3	1”
169	Omit all words, insert—
	“		..................	500 U.S.A. U. amp.	6	1
			..................	l,000 U.S.A.U. amp.	6	1
			..................	l,500 U.S.A.U. amp.	6	1
			..................	5,000 U.S.A. U. amp.	6	1
			..................	10,000 U.S.A.U. amp.	6	1
			..................	1,500 I.U. (1950) amp.	6	1
			..................	10,000 I.U. (1950) amp.	6	1”

By Authority: L. F. JOHNSTON, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.

Overview

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Act 1947-1950, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, addresses the need for a structured and regulated system to ensure the availability and affordability of essential medications. The Act facilitates the provision of pharmaceutical benefits to the public by establishing a scheme that supports the supply of medicines at a reduced cost. These regulations, introduced by the Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, serve to further detail and refine the administration of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The policy objective of these regulations is to streamline the process of claiming payments for the supply of pharmaceutical benefits, ensuring that claims are processed efficiently and accurately, thereby supporting the overall integrity and effectiveness of the scheme.

Scope and Application

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Regulations 1951, made under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Act 1947-1950, pertain to the process of claims for payment concerning the supply of pharmaceutical benefits, as well as the amendments to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule. The regulations apply to claims made by approved entities, including pharmaceutical chemists, medical practitioners, and hospital authorities. The scope of these regulations is national, covering the entire Commonwealth of Australia. The regulations mandate that claims for pharmaceutical benefits must be submitted in accordance with approved forms, with specific requirements for the accompanying documentation, such as prescriptions and tally sheets, unless otherwise directed by the Director-General in special circumstances. The amendments to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule introduced by these regulations include the addition and modification of various pharmaceutical items and their respective dosages and quantities. The regulations apply to prescriptions written on or after 1 September 1951, while continuing to observe the provisions of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Regulations in force immediately before the date of commencement for prescriptions written before this date. The Act and its subordinate instruments thus provide a structured framework for the administration and regulation of pharmaceutical benefits across Australia.

Key Provisions

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Regulations, amended by Statutory Rules 1950, Nos. 51, 55, 62 and 94; and 1951, Nos. 15 and 89, establish the requirements for claims for pharmaceutical benefits under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Act 1947-1950. According to Regulation 1, a claim for payment must be made in accordance with an approved form, cover prescriptions dispensed within a single month, and be submitted to the Department of Health at specified locations (1). The claim must also include the original prescriptions, a tally sheet, and any required statements (2). Additionally, the Second Schedule is amended to include definitions for new pharmaceutical items and update existing items (2). The regulations impose several obligations on parties involved in the pharmaceutical benefits scheme. Approved chemists, medical practitioners, and hospital authorities must ensure that claims for payment are made correctly and include all necessary documentation, such as original prescriptions, tally sheets, and statements where required (1). Furthermore, these parties must adhere to the specific requirements outlined in the amended Second Schedule, including the inclusion of new pharmaceutical items and updated information on existing items (2). Failure to comply with the provisions of these regulations may result in various consequences. While specific offences and penalties are not detailed within the provided text, it is reasonable to infer that non-compliance could lead to administrative actions, fines, or other penalties as prescribed by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Act 1947-1950 or related legislation. It is essential for parties involved in the pharmaceutical benefits scheme to carefully adhere to the regulations to avoid any potential legal or financial repercussions.

Area of Law: Commercial Law
Instrument: Regulation
Concepts: Definitions & Interpretation; Regulatory Standards; Reporting & Disclosure Obligations; Licensing & Registration

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.

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