Victorian
Pharmacotherapy
Area-based Networks

The Pharmacotherapy Area-Based Networks (PABNs) are a Victorian Government initiative to provide opioid pharmacotherapy support for primary care medical practitioners and pharmacists 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.

Pharmacotherapy is Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence (MATOD) It includes treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine (Subutex®, Suboxone®). Pharmacotherapy is also known as ORT, or Opioid Replacement Therapy, and OST, or Opioid Substitution Therapy. In the state of Victoria, most pharmacotherapy is provided via a community model mainly via general practitioner and pharmacist service providers. Additional services may be provided by nurse practitioners, community health organisations and specialist nurses and alcohol & other drug 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 General Practitioners (GPs), Addiction Medicine Specialists (AMSs), 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.

> Learn more about the networks and contact your local PABN.