Doctors in Victoria are being warned they could be breaking federal laws against inciting suicide if they discuss euthanasia with patients in phone or video calls.

Victoria’s health authorities announced on Wednesday that they had begun contacting all doctors certified to participate in its voluntary assisted dying scheme to advise them to only discuss the subject with patients in person.

The state’s Australian-first voluntary assisted dying scheme has only been in place for a week.

Victorian Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos said the warning followed legal advice that any “electronic” discussions about accessing voluntary assisted dying could result in doctors falling foul of a federal law against inciting or counselling someone into suicide via a carriage service.