Thursday, 20 August 2026
Free COVID vaccine eligibility narrows, Maternal RSV vaccine effectiveness, Greater visibility of MBS claims
- 01
Free COVID-19 vaccine eligibility narrows from 1 October
Australia’s universal COVID-19 vaccine program will end on 1 October, with funded vaccines moving to the National Immunisation Program and eligibility limited to higher-risk groups. Free doses will remain available for adults aged 75 years and over every six months, and every 12 months for adults aged 65–74, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50–74, and adults with severe immunocompromise. States and territories will take responsibility for vaccine ordering, distribution and reporting, replacing current National COVID-19 Vaccine Program arrangements. Until 1 October, providers can continue offering vaccines under the existing program. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing said it would release updated eligibility, ordering, cold-chain and reporting resources before the transition, while experts raised concerns about inconsistent distribution and access barriers.
via RACGP newsGP
- 02
Australian maternal RSV vaccination cut infant hospitalisations by about 80%
Following evidence that England’s programme halved newborn ICU admissions, Australian real-world data estimated that maternal RSV vaccination reduced RSV-related hospitalisations among infants aged up to six months by 80.8%. The Pfizer-sponsored observational study included 1012 infants hospitalised with acute respiratory illness at nine Australian hospitals between March 2025 and February 2026. Estimated effectiveness was 77.8% against hospitalisation for RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease and 80.4% against severe disease. Protection against hospitalisation for RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease was highest among babies aged up to two months, at 86.3%. The RSVpreF vaccine, Abrysvo, entered the National Immunisation Program in February 2025 and is recommended as a single dose from 28–36 weeks’ gestation.
via RACGP newsGP
- 03
Medicare to give providers greater visibility of MBS claims
Medicare will introduce reports showing all MBS claims made under an individual provider number, allowing providers to identify errors and claims lodged without their knowledge. The initiative forms part of $146.8 million allocated over four years to strengthen Medicare integrity, with the government aiming to save $674.1 million by reducing fraudulent and non-compliant claiming. Other measures include legislative amendments across the MBS and PBS, earlier identification of suspicious claims, increased departmental monitoring capability, and clearer provider guidance and support. The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing said the changes would shift the system towards preventing problems and address providers’ limited visibility of claims.
- 04
Federal government ties $60 million to state scope reforms
The federal government will contribute $60 million to states and territories once they implement reforms removing barriers to health professionals working to their full scope of practice. The funding will come from the $900 million National Productivity Fund and follows agreement among federal, state and territory treasurers to reduce regulatory barriers, particularly in rural and remote communities. The reforms draw on the 2024 Scope of Practice Review, which found virtually all primary care professions, including general practitioners, faced restrictions unrelated to their education and competence. Treasurer Jim Chalmers cited enabling registered nurses to prescribe and administer medicines across jurisdictions in line with their qualifications as one example, while the Australian College of Nursing called for more detail on the funding arrangements.
- 05
RACGP clarifies accreditation eligibility for non-traditional general practices
The RACGP has updated its interpretive guide to clarify how non-traditional general practices can qualify for accreditation under the broadened definition introduced in April 2024. Eligible models may include residential aged care, mobile disability outreach and services in rural, remote or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, but care must remain GP-led, comprehensive, whole-person and continuous. Services providing limited or non-continuous care are not eligible, and each entity must operate as an independent general practice and meet the Standards for general practices in its own right. Accreditation agencies will assess whether services are predominantly general practice in nature and make the final eligibility determination under the Scheme. The guide also clarifies how relevant fifth-edition indicators apply during the current accreditation transition period.
via RACGP newsGP
- 06
FDA consults on risk framework for generative AI medical devices
The US Food and Drug Administration is seeking feedback on regulating medical devices that incorporate generative artificial intelligence, citing potential benefits for patient care alongside “unique risks”. Its discussion paper proposes a risk framework spanning informational software through to fully autonomous devices, with risk also depending on the clinical circumstances. It also outlines competency-based premarket evaluation involving benchmarking and clinical testing of the final user-facing version. Proposed postmarket monitoring would be the responsibility of manufacturers, although clinicians, healthcare institutions, payers and other authorities may also have a role. The paper is not new policy or guidance, and the FDA is accepting comments through 19 October.
via MedTech Dive
MDDR is a news digest for medical professionals. It is not medical advice and should not be relied on for clinical decision-making.