Accreditation rule scrapped for PBS-subsidised treatment

From 1 September 2026, doctors and authorised nurse practitioners across Australia can prescribe PBS-subsidised hepatitis B antiviral medicines without first obtaining specialist accreditation.

The rule change broadens access to treatment for people with chronic hepatitis B, a condition affecting nearly 230,000 people in Australia. Peak bodies Hepatitis Australia and ASHM have campaigned for the change for years, arguing that the old system created avoidable delays.

Under the new settings, eligible patients can receive antiviral prescriptions through a wider range of primary care providers instead of relying so heavily on specialist services. The organisations say that should make treatment easier to start and easier to continue.

Chronic hepatitis B can lead to serious liver disease and liver cancer when it is not managed well. Timely antiviral treatment also helps prevent liver flares, liver damage and other major complications.

Access to care has remained low. Only one in four people living with chronic hepatitis B receive guideline-recommended clinical care, and less than half of those eligible for treatment are receiving it.

Specialist bottlenecks have slowed access

ASHM chief executive Alexis Apostolellis pointed to the current concentration of care in specialist settings. Specialists wrote more than 75% of Australia’s hepatitis B treatment in 2021, even though primary care has become more involved in managing the disease.

Some hospital services have waiting lists longer than two years, according to Apostolellis. He said the expanded prescribing rights should reduce pressure on those clinics and shift more routine care closer to where patients live.

“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,” Mr Apostolellis said.

The reform is also tied to Australia’s 2030 hepatitis B elimination targets. ASHM and Hepatitis Australia argue that wider prescribing in primary care will improve treatment uptake and monitoring rates, both of which are needed if those goals are to be met.

Hepatitis Australia chief executive Lucy Clynes said easier prescribing matters because many people with hepatitis B depend on a regular GP who is nearby or speaks their language. For those patients, a familiar clinic can be more practical than a hospital-based specialist service.

“With only one in four people with hepatitis B receiving the care they need, making access simple is essential,” Ms Clynes said.

Clynes also noted that new hepatitis B treatments are advancing. She said the first functional cures are on the horizon, but they will work best for people whose hepatitis B is already being well managed.