Pharmacist Administration of Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine (LAIB) in South Australia

From 10 June 2025, South Australian Community Pharmacists can administer Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine (LAIB). This aligns with all other jurisdictions across Australia and enables community pharmacies to provide this essential medicine for their local community, increasing access and equity for clients.

Practice Standards for the Administration of Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine (LAIB) South Australian Pharmacists (PDF 1.28MB) have been developed by an expert consensus group led by DASSA and the Office of the Chief Pharmacist. Pharmacists do not require further approval from SA Health to administer LAIB, however, adherence to the Practice Standards will ensure that individual pharmacists are working within their scope of practice and have all the requisite professional skills, relevant training, competencies and knowledge to administer LAIB.

It is lawful under the Controlled Substances Act 1984 for South Australian pharmacists to administer a Schedule 8 medicine to a patient if that medicine has been lawfully prescribed for that patient. This includes the administration of LAIB. Pharmacists can therefore only administer LAIB on receipt of a legally valid prescription from an authorised prescriber. The prescription must specify that pharmacy by name as the only pharmacy authorised to dispense and administer LAIB on that order.

Pharmacists should refer to the Practice Standards for the requirements, clinical guidance and governance framework for the administration of LAIB. This document covers:

  • The authority and scope of practice for pharmacists to administer LAIB
  • Pharmacist requirements to administer LAIB in South Australia (including mandatory requirements)
  • Pharmacy premises requirements
  • Regulatory requirements (including storage and ordering of LAIB)
  • The process for transferring clients to community pharmacy and other settings for administration of LAIB
  • Communication between pharmacist and prescriber
  • Pharmacist administration of LAIB, including pre and post administration requirements and documentation
  • Client costs and claiming pharmacy payments
  • Clinical considerations
  • Contacts and support for pharmacists
  • Suggested documentation templates

Prescribers and clients should discuss the client's transfer to a community pharmacy for administration of LAIB on a case-by-case basis, considering the benefits and risks such as client complexity, client stability, challenging behaviours, need for more frequent clinical review, and location and other accessibility considerations. The pharmacist should also be included in discussions.

South Australian pharmacists requiring additional support for the administration of LAIB can contact the DASSA Community Pharmacy Program Manager on (08) 7425 5000 or email HealthDASSAPharmacyEnquiries@sa.gov.au to discuss.

South Australian prescribers can contact the DASSA GP Program Coordinator via email: HealthDASSAGPProgram@sa.gov.au

For clinical advice regarding LAIB, please contact the Drug and Alcohol Clinical Advisory Service (DACAS) on (08) 7087 1742 (24 hours 7 days/week including public holidays).