Fentanyl patches will still be an option for patients with non-cancer pain who have failed other treatments, under new restrictions set to come in next year.

Minister for Health Greg Hunt last month pledged to crack down on the use of fentanyl patches outside of palliative or cancer care, unless “exceptional circumstances apply”.

The move would bring official indications broadly in line with RACGP guidelines, according to former college quality care spokesman Dr Evan Ackermann, who was part of the TGA committee that worked on the changes.

But he acknowledged that some GPs had raised concerns the revised indications would be excessively restrictive and limit their ability to prescribe in situations outside cancer pain.