THE Victorian Government has announced that from Jul 2026, women over 18 will be able to obtain the oral contraceptive pill without a script at participating Chemist Care Now pharmacies.
The initiative will provide more convenient access to the Pill, particularly in rural and remote areas where GP appointments are harder to arrange.
Pharmacists who want to deliver this service will be required to complete a postgraduate training module on the topic.
Before dispensing the medication, pharmacists must undertake a thorough consultation and outline any risks, and also provide comprehensive advice about other options, including long-acting reversible contraception.
Under the Chemist Care Now pilot, pharmacists can already resupply an existing Pill script - a service that has been accessed by 17,000 women since 2023.
Over the next two years, Chemist Care Now will grow to include another 23 treatments, including the resupply of hormone replacement therapy.
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