What this instrument covers
The Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—June 2026) Instrument 2026 is a federal legislative instrument that sets out Australia's national scheduling rules for poisons, medicines, and controlled drugs. The full text is available at https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L00633.
Scheduling framework
The instrument classifies substances into schedules ranging from Schedule 2 pharmacy medicines through to Schedule 10 prohibited substances. Alongside scheduling, the instrument sets rules covering:
- Labelling requirements
- Container rules
- Storage and disposal
- Record-keeping
- Advertising restrictions
- Supply conditions
Dates this instrument applies
The instrument came into force on 28 May 2026. It applies until 30 September 2026, when it is repealed and replaced by the Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—October 2026) Instrument 2026.
Transitional provisions
Transitional provisions for the repeal are set out in subsections 4(2) and 4(3) of the successor instrument, the Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—October 2026) Instrument 2026.
Key actions stated in this instrument
- Businesses that supply, label, or store scheduled medicines or poisons are required to check that current practices comply with this Poisons Standard before 30 September 2026, when the October 2026 version takes effect.
- Businesses that hold approvals or authorities under the current standard are required to review subsections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—October 2026) Instrument 2026 to understand how transitional provisions apply.
- The full instrument text at https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L00633 contains specific schedule listings, labelling rules, and appendix conditions relevant to particular products.
- The Federal Register of Legislation provides a 'Set up an alert' function at the URL above to receive notification when the October 2026 replacement instrument is published.
This is a plain-English summary for information only, not legal or compliance advice. Always check the official source or consult a qualified professional.