The Pharmacotherapy Area-Based Networks
The Pharmacotherapy Area-Based Networks (PABN) are a Victorian Government initiative to provide opioid pharmacotherapy support for primary care medical and nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and other clinicians, across the state of Victoria including metropolitan, regional and rural areas.
Each PABN provides connections between primary health care, hospitals and Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) services to create a more cohesive and strengthened pharmacotherapy service system.
What is opioid pharmacotherapy?
Opioid pharmacotherapy is Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence (MATOD). It includes oral treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine (Subutex®, Suboxone®) as well as long-acting injectable buprenorphine treatments (Sublocade®, Buvidal®). Pharmacotherapy is also known as Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT), Opioid Dependence Treatment (ODT), Opioid Replacement Therapy (ORT), and Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST).
In Victoria, most pharmacotherapy is provided via a community model, mainly via General Practitioner (GP) and pharmacist service providers. Additional services may be provided by nurse practitioners, community health organisations and specialist nurses and AOD workers.
Your local PABN provides local support
There are two metropolitan and three regional PABNs. Each PABN is structured to meet local need and includes highly qualified management and specialist teams such as GPs, Nurse Practitioners, Addiction Medicine Specialists (AMS), Clinical and AOD nurses, and pharmacists. These teams recognise the diverse needs of practitioners and patients, and provide innovative and flexible approaches to meeting local needs.
See our About page to find the contact details for your local PABN.
News
Cocaine adulterated with protonitazene
The Victorian Department of Health has issued a Drug Alert for protonitazene. "A white powder sold in Melbourne as cocaine contains the potent opioid 'protonitazene. Protonitazene is a novel synthetic opioid that can produce life-threatening toxic effects in very...
Pregabalin, gabapentin & tramadol inclusion in SafeScript from 3 July 2023
The Victorian Department of Health have sent notice to SafeScript users that pregabalin, gabapentin and tramadol will be included in SafeScript from July 3.
Budget 2023 – funding for 50,000 pharmacotherapy patients.
The Federal Government has announced significant spending for opioid pharmacotherapy patients in it's 2023 budget. "50,000 Australians who need treatment for opioid dependency will have funded support to access the treatment they need at their local pharmacy at a cost...
2023 PBS changes
From July 1, 2023, there are significant changes to how opioid pharmacotherapy is prescribed and supplied under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Victorian Opioid Management ECHO
More information and registration at echo.pabn.org.au, our companion website.
Upcoming sessions
COVID-19
The Pharmacotherapy Area-Based Networks have worked closely with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, key stakeholders and providers to develop a series of guides for responding to the challenges of providing pharmacotherapy services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Changing Lanes is a series of four short videos made for and by people who are considering or are already on methadone or buprenorphine in Victoria. They are also a useful tool for health practitioners providing services to people seeking treatment for opioid dependence.