The Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 provides that a veterinary practitioner may issue non-handwritten or computer generated prescriptions for an S4 restricted substance or an S8 restricted substance.

A computer generated prescription is one that has any information (except for the veterinarian’s address and contact details) printed rather than handwritten. Elements of the prescription which may be computer generated differ for S4 and S8 prescriptions. 

There has been a growth in online pharmacies in recent years and the Board has recently received a number of reports from NSW Health concerned about the involvement of veterinarians in these businesses and potential breaches of poisons and therapeutic goods legislation in NSW.