Drug and Poison Management at JCU

Table 1: Drugs and Poisons Schedule

The Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation (Queensland) 1996 lists registered professionals that can obtain the drugs and poisons for different therapeutic uses and genuine teaching or research. The example being a registered veterinarian obtaining a Schedule 8 drug to use in a teaching practical.

Where a person, not endorsed by the legislation, has a genuine need for teaching or research to obtain:

• Schedule 4 Restricted and Regulated Drug (not a general Schedule 4), or
• Schedule 7 Poison:
  • Azocyclotin
  • Cyhexatin
  • Demeton
  • 4,4 diaminodiphenylmethane (methyl dianiline)
  • Dimetilan
  • Ethylene dibromide
  • Hydrocyanic acid and cyanide
  • 4,4'-methylenebis [2-chloroaniline]
  • Mirex
  • Phosphides, metallic
  • Strychnine
  • S,S,S-tributylphosphorotrithioat
• Schedule 9 Prohibited Substances

An application can be lodged with Queensland Health to obtain an approval to obtain, use and store the substance.  Please consult with the Drugs Officer from your Division and the HSE Biological,Radiation and Chemicals Safety Advisor.

You will need to ensure that the requirements are met for the storage and use of the substance.

Once you have obtained the approval send a copy through to the HSE Unit. A record will be added to the central register.

Each individual purchase of these items is approved by the Division Drugs Officers.

Where a drug or poison will be used in a manner that is not consistent with the intended therapeutic use, a risk assessment will need to be completed on this method of use.

If you are purchasing S2, S3, S4, S7, S8, S9 please complete the "Approval to Purchase S2, S3, S4, S7, S8 and S9 Substances" in full and attached with the order.  The information requested on the form will assist the "drugs Officer" or "Authorised Officer Delegated the Vice Chancellor's Authority" to assess the order quickly.

In the My Requisition system for purchasing please use the following Use Codes and attach the required documentation:

Table 2: Use Codes

• Use Code 8432 is used for Schedule 11 (Dangerous Goods)
• Schedules 5 and 6 have no specific requirement for purchasing. These substance may still be hazardous or dangerous goods (Use Code 8432), local risk assessments and procedures will need to be in place.

Teaching and research (S2, S3, S4, S7, S8, S9)

• Use Code 8436 – Schedules 2, 3 and 4 can be approved by the University Officers that have been delegated the Vice Chancellor’s Authority.
  • To support the request attach or write out in the comments section proof of the need to use this substance for genuine teaching and research. This could include:
    • Human or Animal Ethics approvals
    • Project approvals
    • Description of who requires the substance, for what practical or research project, and detail of storage (complete and attach "Approval to Purchase S2, S3, S4, S7, S8 and S9 Substances").

• Use Code 8437 – Schedules 7, 8, 9 can only be approved by the University Officers that have a Drugs Officer approval from Queensland Health.
  • Personnel that are endorsed by the Queensland Drugs and Poisons Act and Regulation to obtain, store and use scheduled drugs and poisons such as registered veterinarians and doctors can request the substances for genuine research and teaching. Include with the request:
    • Name of the professional, their registration number, description of the teaching or research the substance will be used for, location the substance will be stored.
    • S8 substances must be entered into a controlled drug register.
  • Anyone not endorsed by the Queensland legislation must obtain an approval from Queensland Health to obtain S7, S8, or S9 substances. The Application for Approval to Purchase S4 (Regulated and Restricted), S7 and S8 Substances is to be completed and submitted:
    • If purchasing under approval from Queensland Health, attach a copy of the approval
    • The following S7 substances require a Queensland Health Approval:
      • Azocyclotin
      • Cyhexatin
      • Demeton
      • 4,4 diaminodiphenylmethane (methyl dianiline)
      • Dimetilan
      • Ethylene dibromide
      • Hydrocyanic acid and cyanide
      • 4,4’-methylenebis [2-chloroaniline]
      • Mirex
      • Phosphides, metallic
      • Strychnine
      • S,S,S-tributylphosphorotrithioat
• There are specific storage and tracking requirements to be met by the person obtaining the substances.

Therapeutic Use

• Use Code Dependent on the Schedule 8436 or 8437 – To purchase, S2, S3, S4, S8, S7, S9 for any therapeutic use attach a copy of a script completed by a person endorsed under the legislation.
  • Call JCU purchasing to arrange quick turnaround of the purchase requisition.
  • Certain S2 and S3 substances may be available over the counter.

Internal Reporting and Auditing

• Let the HSE Biological, Radiation and Chemicals Safety Advisor know of your initial purchase of S4, S7, S8, S9 substances:
  • Provide a copy of your Queensland Health approval for S7, S8, or S9 substances
• These will be added to the central register:
  • Stocks of S4 and S8 substances will be audited at least annually
  • S4 and S8 substances must be accounted for in a controlled drug register.

General

• When entering a requisition use the appropriate use code for the schedule of drug or poison. In the free field text field provide a description of the schedule of drug or poison and the intended use
• The Authorised Officers Delegated the Vice Chancellor’s Delegation have been selected by JCU to approve the purchase of S2, S4, S7, S8, S9 substances in the My Requisition system:
  • These Authorised Officers can directly approve S2, S3 and S4 drugs and poisons
  • S7, S8 & S9 will be approved by the Authorised Officer, however the actual final approval for the supplier will be completed by:
    • A person endorsed under the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996 (Queensland)
    • A Drugs Officer with Queensland Health approval for that substance
    • The person ordering the item providing a copy of a specific approval from Queensland Health to obtain, use and store the drug or poison.
• Prescriptions are to be completed in line with the requirements of the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996 (Queensland)
• For therapeutic use on JCU animals, a prescription for a drug or poison shall be completed by a registered veterinary surgeon
• Urgent purchases during business hours should be placed using the usual procedure, with the exception that JCU Procurement Office should be contacted to explain that the order is urgent at which point they can expedite the order
• Urgent purchases outside of business hours should occur with a company where JCU has an account and ensure that an invoice is obtained. As a last resort a JCU credit card can be used but purchasing and approving management must be informed of this action. Place a My Requisition order on the first business day after the purchase.
• When one of the Authorised Officers Delegated the Vice Chancellor’s Authority is on leave, a person can be nominated to formally act in their role:
  • This does not apply to the Drugs Officer approval from Queensland Health which is not transferable from person to person
• A supplier will ask for an End User Declaration to be completed when purchasing substances listed in Schedule 6 and apparatus listed in section 8B of the Drugs Misuse Regulation 1987.

Download the JCU Drugs and Poisons Purchasing Summary (PDF, 1570 KB)

JCU has two roles that approve the purchase of scheduled drugs and poisons:

• JCU Officers that have been delegated the Vice-Chancellor’s authority to purchase S2, S3 and S4 substances
• JCU Drugs Officers, who can obtain S7, S8 and S9 drugs and poisons for staff that are either:
  • In possession of a current Queensland Health Approval to obtain, store and use the substance
  • Are endorsed by the Queensland Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation (Queensland) 1996, e.g. a Registered Veterinarian.

Table 3: JCU Officers Delegated the Vice Chancellor’s Authority for S2, S3 and S4, and JCU Drugs Officers

Appointing Acting JCU Officers Delegated the Vice Chancellor’s Authority for S2, S3 and S4

When an Officer Delegated the Vice Chancellor’s Authority for S2, S3 and S4 substances will be absent for an extended period of time, another fitting member of staff or the division can be nominated to stand in. The Drugs Officer position cannot be delegated.

This person must be briefed on their responsibilities that will apply during the relieving period. When selecting the person to relieve in the role consideration must be given that they are an appropriately qualified officer having the qualifications, experience or standing appropriate to exercise the Vice Chancellors Delegation of Authority.

The following form Request to Appoint Acting “JCU Authorised Officer Delegated the Vice Chancellor’s Authority” Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996 (Queensland) is to be completed. The form is to be signed by the Director Divisional Operations or Dean for the College, then provided to the HSE Biological, Radiation and Chemicals Safety Advisor. The form is then provided to the Vice-Chancellor for final signature.

The signed form will then be provided to the JCU Financial Systems Team to allow the My Requisitions workflow to be altered.

The transport, storage, use and disposal of all Schedules of Drugs and Poisons is detailed below in Tables 4 and 5.

Storage

• Food and drink containers must not be used to hold a poison. Do not wash containers that have held or are commonly used for poisons, in a receptacle used to soak/wash/treat containers that are commonly used to hold human or animal food or drink
• Lethabarb storage and use is treated as the same for S8 drugs at JCU
• S8 substances are to be kept securely.

Transport

• Transfer between internal JCU storage locations can occur provided the appropriately endorsed personnel approve the transaction, the relevant permits and approvals are in place for the proposed storage and use, and the transfer is recorded in the drug register where relevant
• Transport of drugs and poisons by undergraduate students is not allowed.

Table 4: Summary Storage, use and Disposal of S2, S3 and S4

Table 4 Summary Storage, Use and Disposal of S2, S3 and S4 is available here (PDF, 43 KB).

Table 5: Summary Storage, use and Disposal of S7, S8 and S9

Table 5 Summary Storage, Use and Disposal of S7, S8 and S9 is available here (PDF, 128 KB).