Online Prescriptions in Australia: How to Get Medications Without a GP Visit

Navigating online prescription options can sometimes feel confusing or overwhelming, especially if you are sick and looking to just get your medicine delivered to you asap. The good news is that there are plenty of telehealth providers available, as well as services at your local doctor’s practice. If you want to know how to get medications without a doctor’s visit as a repeat script, find out which medications are available online, look up how to do an online doctor’s consultation for new prescriptions, or how to get online scripts or medications delivered in a jiffy, read on.  

There are several options available to you: The easiest may be to phone up your GP and ask if they offer video or phone consults as well as eScripts. That way, you can get to see your normal GP and a prescription without even leaving the house. 

If you are in a bit more of a rush or don’t have a (good) doctor, you could check out one of the many telehealth platforms specifically designed for eScripts. MediCompare provides a round-up here.  

While they vary in cost, ease, and speed, most of them offer affordable script renewals or scripts for standard medication, and some offer extended services for more highly regulated medication.  

1. EScripts are perhaps the simplest and most convenient option. This is a prescription issued via SMS or email with a unique barcode [1].  It can be used at any pharmacy. Some telehealth sites provide online pharmacy services. Available on Medicare, the same barcode can include repeats, too. While some sites offer instantly issued eScripts, others take several hours. The real upside of this option is how quick and easy it is to obtain. From medication selection to delivery can take less than one hour with the right provider. 
2. Active Script List (ASL) is a service available at most pharmacies and online, which allows your pharmacy and doctor to actively monitor all medications you are taking. While this makes repeat scripts and keeping track of your medicine easier (avoiding potential side effects through medication combination), it does require in-person identification and set-up at a pharmacy before you can use the online service [1]. 
3. Pharmacy Concierge Service means your GP or telehealth doctor can send the prescription directly to your local pharmacy for same-day pickup or delivery. This isn’t always faster, as it depends on how quickly the provider can contact the pharmacy. It may cost additional fees and you still have to pay extra for delivery. This option comes in handy for visitors to Australia, though, as it’s available without a Medicare card, which is required for the eScript token to be issued. 
4. Posted Prescriptions are also available via many online services. This can be particularly helpful if you are less computer literate and need the help of a relative or carer to obtain the script.  

While all Australian telehealth providers I checked out offered online prescriptions, their processes and pricing varied a fair bit. You can find a comparison of these providers on MediCompare here. Essentially, deciding which service to use comes down to which of the following matters most to you.  

Repeat Script or New Prescription  

A repeat is very easy and cheap to obtain on most sites. I’m talking $17 (for one type of medication) on a site like InstantScripts, which offers eScripts delivered within 15 minutes and medication delivered within 4 hours in metro areas. Even cheaper is Aussie Scripts at $17 for repeat scripts, but there are no online pharmacy fulfillment options. You get what you pay for, and with online telehealth providing sites, a few dollars more can get you significantly more service. New prescriptions for anything that’s not over-the-counter require a doctor’s consultation, but a lot of the online sites get around that with a very short tick-the-boxes approach. This means, you’ll select from a list of medications or symptoms yourself and the doctor signs off on it. 

Full Doctor’s Consultation 

A full and thorough online doctor’s consultation is needed for medication recommendations and to have a medical professional oversee and potentially follow-up on your condition. One of the most comprehensive sites offering this service is Prime Medic. This site always recommends doctor’s consultations for eScripts, before delivering them to your phone in 15 minutes. As the site offers bulk-billing via Medicare at certain times, the overall cost may not even be much more than some of the sites appearing cheaper at first glance. Some of the other sites set aside very limited time to discuss your health concerns with a doctor, prioritizing speed and cost over quality and service. 

Online Pharmacy  

If you’d like a telehealth provider with links to online pharmacies to deliver the medication, you’re also spoiled for choice. Which provider you pick depends on how fast you want the medication delivered. The delivery time ranges from same-day delivery to within two hours of script upload, like Hola Health.   

Cheap Service 

While initial cost savings on sites such as Aussie Scripts may look attractive, bear in mind that the cheapest telehealth providers often skimp on customer service and convenience, meaning you’ll probably have to collect the medication yourself or find an online pharmacy. If things go wrong with your eScript in any way, it could take you a while to have the issue resolved with a bare-bones telehealth provider. 

Controlled Substance or Other Medication Prescription 

Some medication requires a more thorough doctor’s consultation or documentation shared with the online provider. Other medications aren’t easy to obtain online for the first time or require a telehealth consultation with a specialised doctor or one you have seen in the last 12 months, to ensure a more in-depth psychological or clinical assessment and follow-ups. These medicines include controlled substances such as some strong pain medications, ADHD meds, and narcotics for treat mental health problems. Some comprehensive telehealth platforms like MedMate and Doctors On Demand offer access to mental health care plans, potentially giving you access to the latter. 

 All advice shared on this site is for information only and does not substitute medical advice. If in doubt, it is best to check with your doctor. While great care is taken to update information regularly, please verify all options and prices yourself before making any online purchases. If your symptoms persist or worsen, we recommend you seek urgent in-person medical care.

[1] https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/electronic-prescriptions#what-is-an-electronic