Australian Government

Federal Register of Legislation

Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—October 2026) Instrument 2026

In force

Administered by

Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

This item is authorised by the following title:

Therapeutic Goods Act 1989

Latest version

F2026L01327

30 September 2026

Table of contents

Reader’s guide
- Introduction
- Classification
- Principles of scheduling
- Reading the schedules
- Availability of poisons
- Appendices
- Poisons Information Centre telephone numbers for first aid instructions, warning statements and general safety directions for poisons
Part 1—Preliminary and interpretation
- 1 Name
- 2 Commencement
- 3 Authority
- 4 Repeal and transitional provisions
- 5 Reader’s guide and Index
- 6 Definitions
- 7 References to substances
- 8 References to concentration, strength or quantity of substances
- 9 References to boiling or distillation temperatures
- 10 References to standards
Part 2—Controls on substances
- Division 1—Preliminary
  - 11 Application of Part 2
  - 12 Preparations containing poisons included in different schedules
- Division 2—Labels
- Division 3—Containers
- Division 4—Storage
  - 54 General storage requirements
- Division 5—Disposal
  - 55 General disposal requirements
- Division 6—Record keeping
  - 56 General record-keeping requirements
- Division 7—Advertising
  - 57 General advertising requirements
- Division 8—Supply, prescribing, possession or use
- Division 9—Paints and tinters
Schedule 1—Blank
Schedule 2—Pharmacy medicines
Schedule 3—Pharmacist only medicines
Schedule 4—Prescription only medicines and prescription animal remedies
Schedule 5—Caution
Schedule 6—Poisons
Schedule 7—Dangerous poisons
Schedule 8—Controlled drugs
Schedule 9—Prohibited substances
Schedule 10—Substances of such danger to health as to warrant prohibition of supply and use
Appendix A—General exemptions
- 1 Exempt preparations and products
Appendix B—Substances considered not to require control by scheduling
- 1 Reasons for including substances in the table in clause 3
- 2 Areas of use in relation to substances included in the table in clause 3
- 3 Substances exempt in certain uses
Appendix C—Blank
Appendix D—Additional controls on possession or supply of poisons included in Schedule 4 or 8
- 1 Poisons available for human use only from or on the prescription or order of an authorised medical practitioner
- 2 Poisons available for human use only from or on the prescription or order of a specialist physician or a dermatologist
- 3 Poisons available only from or on the prescription or order of a medical practitioner approved or authorised under section 19 of the Act
- 4 Poisons available only from or on the order of a specialist physician
- 5 Poisons for which possession without authority is illegal
- 6 Poisons available for human use only from or on the prescription or order of a specialist physician
- 7 Poisons available for human use only from or on the prescription or order of a dermatologist
- 8 Poisons which must be stored in a locked container to prevent unauthorised access
- 9 Poisons available only when prescribed or authorised in certain circumstances
Appendix E—First aid instructions for poisons
- 1 Standard statements for first aid instructions
- 2 Poisons information centre contact information in statements
- 3 First aid instructions for poisons
Appendix F—Warning statements and general safety directions for poisons
- 1 Warning statements
- 2 Safety directions—general
- 3 Poisons information centre contact information in statements
- 4 Poisons that must be labelled with warning statements and safety directions
Appendix G—Dilute preparations
- 1 Substances exempt at or below certain concentrations
Appendix H—Schedule 3 medicines permitted to be advertised
- 1 Schedule 3 medicines permitted to be advertised
Appendix I—Blank
Appendix J—Conditions for availability and use of certain poisons included in Schedule 7
- 1 Conditions for supply of certain poisons included in Schedule 7
Appendix K—Human medicines required to be labelled with a sedation warning
- 1 Human medicines required to be labelled with a sedation warning
Appendix L—Requirements for dispensing labels for medicines
- 1 General
- 2 Additional warning statements for certain human medicines
Appendix M—Additional controls or supply requirements for poisons included in Schedule 3 to allow them to be provided by a pharmacist
Index