From 1 September 2026, the prescriber accreditation requirement for hepatitis B medicines under the PBS Section 100 (s100) Highly Specialised Drugs (HSD) Program will be removed. As a result, all medical practitioners (and authorised nurse practitioners) will be able to prescribe hepatitis B antiviral treatment.
This important reform follows sustained advocacy from across the sector to improve timely and equitable access to treatment for Australians living with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Expanding prescribing to all GPs and authorised nurse practitioners will remove barriers to treatment, improve access to life-saving care, and support Australia’s efforts to achieve the 2030 hepatitis B elimination targets.
What’s Changing?
Currently the first-line medications for hepatitis B, entecavir and tenofovir, are scheduled on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) as Highly Specialised Drugs (s100). From 1 September, while hepatitis B medication will remain an s100 medication, there will no longer be an accreditation requirement to prescribe.
For clinicians who are dual prescribers for HIV, there is still a requirement to undertake the Advanced Trainee HIV s100 Prescriber Course and CPD requirements to prescribe s100 medications for HIV treatment.
In a statement, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (DoHDA) said that the change “is expected to improve timely patient access to these PBS-subsidised medicines, particularly in regional, rural and remote areas, by expanding the cohort of health practitioners authorised to prescribe them.”
Positive Response
Talking to The Medical Republic, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)’s specific interests sexual and reproductive health chair Dr Sara Whitburn said removing the accreditation requirement reduced an administrative and logistical barrier that “at times may have delayed treatment initiation”.
“General practitioners routinely prescribe complex medicines. While the accreditation program provided valuable education and increased prescriber confidence, hepatitis B and hepatitis C management resources remain widely available.”
Hepatitis Australia Chief Executive Lucy Clynes said the change will enable people living with hepatitis B to access care from the providers they trust. “With only one in four people with hepatitis B receiving the care they need, making access simple is essential,” she said.
“Many people with hepatitis B rely on GPs who speak their language or are close to home. This change means they can access care through the providers they already know and trust, just as they would for any other chronic condition.”
ASHM CEO Alexis Apostolellis said chronic hepatitis B management remained largely concentrated in specialist settings, where some hospital waitlists exceed two years, despite timely access to antiviral treatment being critical to preventing serious health complications. In 2021, more than 75% of hepatitis B treatments were prescribed by specialists.
“By allowing more GPs and nurse practitioners to prescribe hepatitis B treatments, we can bring care closer to home, reduce pressure on specialist clinics, and help more Australians access the treatment and monitoring they need,” he said.
Hepatitis C medications provided under the highly specialised drug program will still require the patient to receive treatment in a hospital setting, and for hepatitis B GPs will also still need to provide evidence of the patient’s chronic infection, prior treatment details, and proof of the patient’s cirrhotic status.
Last updated 4 September 2026
More from:
Enjoyed this article? Subscribe to be notified whenever we publish new stories.
Subscribe for Updates