Australia’s peak asthma body is urging doctors to be cautious with 60-day dispensing for inhaler medications.

Starting this month, patients with asthma will be able to receive multiple inhalers at each dispensing for more than 70 products, including PBS-listed preventer and combined inhalers.

National Asthma Council Australia (NAC) says it is concerned about patients missing opportunities to step down medication or storing inhalers inappropriately.

“Having a 12-month supply of medication removes the need to go back to the GP for a script at six months which means the patient misses out on a key opportunity for their GP to assess their asthma management,” said NAC clinical executive lead Associate Professor Debbie Rigby in a statement.