Travellers with injectable medicines containing ingredients derived from animal or human origin no longer require TGA approval to enter Australia

From today travellers entering Australia will no longer need approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to bring their injectable medicines containing material of human or animal origin.

Changes to Australia’s therapeutic goods regulations will remove the barriers for travellers entering Australia who require ongoing treatment with lifesaving medicines such as enoxaparin, used to treat and prevent blood clots. Travellers will be able to bring up to 3-months supply of their medicine.

Previously, travellers entering Australia with injectable treatments of human or animal origin (other than insulin) were required to contact an Australian GP prior to their travel. The GP would then need to apply to the TGA to get permission for the traveller to bring the treatment into Australia.

This placed an unnecessary burden on travellers, GPs and the TGA which was not justified by the extremely low risk these types of treatments present.

The amendments to the Therapeutic Goods Regulations 1990 provides consistency to the regulation of all prescription medicines travellers may bring to Australia for personal use.

The amendment came into effect 20 December 2022 and followed extensive consultation with several medical and GP peak bodies including the Australian Medical Association and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and the Australian Border Force.