When a medicinal cannabis product is listed as a Schedule 8 (S8) medicine in Australia - meaning it contains substantial amounts of THC and is subject to tighter controls - the concept of a repeat interval becomes especially important.
What is a repeat interval?
The repeat interval (or dispensing interval) is the minimum amount of time that must pass between successive dispensings of the same prescription (including repeats) for an S8 medicine.
For S8 prescriptions, prescribers must clearly write the repeat interval on the prescription (in many jurisdictions) so that the pharmacy knows when the next supply is permitted.
The interval is a patient-safety measure: it helps mitigate over-supply, diversion, misuse, and supports proper clinical review of therapy.
What is typical for S8 medicinal cannabis?
Although there is no single national standard interval published for all S8 medicinal cannabis prescriptions, guidance documents indicate that:
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Prescribers and pharmacists should consider “frequency of dispensing (for example weekly dispensing if there are concerns that a patient may self-escalate their dose)”.
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Some state/territory regulatory sources note that S8 medicinal cannabis products are commonly subject to a 30-day supply or less per dispense in practice.
Why might the interval vary?
The interval depends on the patient’s clinical situation: when treatment starts, dose titration stage, risk of misuse, presence of other S8 medicines, etc.
State and territory laws and monitoring systems differ, so the pharmacy and prescriber must apply the rules applicable in the patient’s jurisdiction.
Because many medicinal-cannabis products are unregistered (not listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods), prescribers must often operate under stricter monitoring and review conditions, including more frequent dispensing or shorter intervals.
Patient Responsibilities
- When you receive your prescription, check the repeat interval on the script (or ask your pharmacy) so you know when you are eligible for the next dispensing.
- Do not expect to get another supply until the interval passes, even if "repeats" are listed. If you request it from the pharmacy too early, supply may be refused.
- Use the interval as a reminder: your prescriber may want to review your response to treatment before authorising the next dispense.
- Keep using the same pharmacy if possible (or inform all pharmacies) so that monitoring systems can coordinate and compare your history. Many jurisdictions have real-time prescription monitoring (RTPM) systems that flag early or multiple dispensings.
Have any more questions about repeat intervals? You can reach our team at 1300 420 965 or at hello@dispensedirect.com.au.