Repeats of four common antibiotics would no longer be funded via the PBS under a new plan to tackle antibiotic resistance.

The PBAC proposal, released last week, recommended banning subsidies for repeat scripts of cephalexin, roxithromycin, amoxycillin and amoxycillin-clavulanic acid.

The move was aimed at aligning public subsidies for antibiotics with recommended lengths of treatment as set out in Therapeutic Guidelines and “would support antimicrobial stewardship and quality use of medicine”, the committee said.

The four antibiotics were targeted because they accounted for the highest volume of dispensed repeats, the Department of Health added.