PBS API - Known issues

Page last updated: 17 Nov 2024

This document provides important information about known issues for the PBS data API.

For information about fixes implemented in our releases, please view the API Release Notes page. If you are experiencing an issue that is not captured below or in the API FAQs, please email HPP.Support@health.gov.au with a description of the issue. 

Data inaccuracies

Items

  • For correctly identifying the 'THERAPEUTIC_GROUP_PREMIUM' Value in the 'item-dispensing-rule-relationships' endpoint, there is an additional field under the 'items' endpoint that must be used named ‘THERAPEUTIC_EXEMPTION_INDICATOR'. When the 'THERAPEUTIC_EXEMPTION_INDICATOR' field has a value of 'Y' then the 'THERAPEUTIC_GROUP_PREMIUM' is to be ignored and a value of 0 should be applied when being used. The items and item-dispensing-rule-relationships endpoints data can be joined together by the schedule code and li_item_id fields. This applies to the following items:
    • Items 5491B and 13861M – Eprosartan for Therapeutic Group Premium
    • Items 9714G – amoxicillin; and 9734H – naratriptan for Special Patient Contribution

Endpoints

  • Restrictions
    • Within the restrictions API endpoint, the SCHEDULE_HTML_TEXT contains incorrect formatting. These fields combine both Schedule and LI text information. For information on how to combine restriction elements refer to the document ‘Restrictions: Piecing together Restrictions fragments’ found in the PBS API Resources section.
  • Item dispensing rule relationships
    • Within the item-dispensing-rule-relationships API endpoint, the DISPENSE_FEE_TYPE_CODE values are incorrect for all extemporaneous medicines. These are currently appearing with a value of ‘NF’. The correct value for these items should be ‘EP’, as per the data dictionary. The values are correct for ready-prepared and EFC medicines
    • Mark-up bands that apply to individual items are not reported on the ‘item-dispensing-rule-relationships’ endpoint. The Department is creating an SQL query to match the text files for this information until this information is included in that endpoint.  
  • Items
    • The Originator_brand_indicator values may be incorrect. 
  • Summary of changes
    • Within the SQL_statement field in the summary-of-changes API endpoint, references to the field PRESCRIBING_TXT_HTML actually display as PRSCRBG_TXT_HTML