General information
This guide is general information, not personal medical advice, and may change over time. With any medicine, always read the label and use only as directed, and if symptoms persist see your doctor or health care professional. Check anything that affects you with your pharmacist or GP. In an emergency, call 000.
An Active Script List (ASL) saves you forwarding a new token every time you fill a script. One pharmacy holds the full list of your current eScripts and pulls from it directly, once you give it permission. You can change which pharmacy holds access at any time, and you can switch back to the standard token model whenever you like. ASL is opt-in, free, and run as part of the national electronic prescribing infrastructure. For background on how the token model works, see our prescriptions in Australia guide.
Key facts
- ASL is one pharmacy at a time; you can switch pharmacy access whenever you want.
- Setup is free; register through the Medicare express app, at a pharmacy, or with your prescriber.
- ASL shows only your active eScripts and repeats, not clinical notes or test results.
- Best for patients filling five or more regular medicines at the same pharmacy.
- Phone agent on 132 011 (Services Australia) can walk you through setup if the app fails.
Most Australian eScript users still rely on individual tokens. ASL is the simpler option if you fill multiple regular scripts at the same pharmacy.
What an ASL is
An ASL is a consolidated, real-time list of your current prescriptions held in the national prescription delivery infrastructure. It includes any eScript your prescribers have sent to you, including repeats that have not yet been filled.
Your nominated pharmacy reads the list each time you ask them to dispense. They see every active script and any remaining repeats. They cannot see your full medical history; the ASL is a prescription list, not a clinical record.
You control who can see it. By default no pharmacy can see your ASL. You add one pharmacy at a time, and you can remove access whenever you choose.
How ASL differs from the token model
The token model is the eScript default. Your prescriber sends you a token by SMS or email, and you forward that token to whichever pharmacy fills it. Each script is its own token; each repeat regenerates a new one.
The ASL model collapses all of that into one list.
| Factor | Token model | Active Script List |
|---|---|---|
| Where the script lives | On your phone, one token at a time | In a single list accessed by your pharmacy |
| How the pharmacy gets the script | You forward the token or show the QR | The pharmacy pulls it from your ASL |
| Multiple pharmacies | Easy, use a different token at each | One pharmacy at a time has access |
| Repeats | New token after each fill | Stays on the list until exhausted |
| Setup effort | None | One-off registration |
| Best for | Occasional or one-off prescriptions | Multiple regular medicines, same pharmacy |
Most patients on one or two regular medicines stick with tokens. Most patients on five or more regular medicines find ASL easier.
Setting up your ASL via the Medicare app
The fastest setup route is through the Medicare express app, which Services Australia operates.
- Open the Medicare express app on your phone (download from the App Store or Google Play if you do not have it).
- Sign in with your myGov details linked to Medicare.
- Tap the Prescriptions tile, then choose Active Script List.
- Accept the terms and create your ASL. The app will generate your unique ASL identifier.
- Add a nominated pharmacy by searching its name or location, or tell the pharmacy your ASL identifier in person.
- The pharmacy confirms the link in their dispensing software. From that point on they can pull your scripts.
Alternative setup routes:
- Many pharmacies can register your ASL for you on the spot. Bring photo ID and your Medicare card.
- Your prescriber can also register your ASL during a consult.
- A Services Australia phone agent on 132 011 can walk you through the steps if the app is not working.
There is no fee at any stage.
Switching your ASL pharmacy
You can change which pharmacy has access to your ASL whenever you want. The most common reasons:
- You have moved suburbs or interstate
- The new pharmacy offers delivery and your current one does not
- You want to use a pharmacy closer to home or work
- The new pharmacy has better hours
- You are dissatisfied with your current pharmacy
The switch works like this:
- Open the Medicare express app, choose Active Script List, and remove the current pharmacy.
- Add the new pharmacy by name, location, or by giving them your ASL identifier in person.
- The new pharmacy confirms the link. They can now see your full list.
Alternatively, walk into the new pharmacy and ask them to link to your ASL. They will run the change in their software with your consent.
Once switched, the old pharmacy can no longer see your list. They can still complete any dispensing already in progress.
For a step-by-step on transferring partially used scripts, see our transfer a prescription guide.
Privacy considerations
The ASL is governed by the same privacy rules that protect your My Health Record and your other Medicare data. Three points worth knowing:
- The pharmacy linked to your ASL can see every active eScript you hold, including ones from prescribers you have not mentioned to that pharmacy.
- No clinical notes, test results, or diagnostic history are visible. The ASL is a prescription list only.
- You can audit who has accessed your ASL through the Medicare express app at any time.
If you do not want one pharmacy to see your full prescription list, do not register an ASL. Stay on the token model and forward only the tokens you want that pharmacy to fill.
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner sets the rules for how prescription delivery data is handled. Concerns or complaints go to oaic.gov.au.
For more on choosing the right pharmacy, see our eScript troubleshooting guide.
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Frequently asked questions
No. ASL is opt-in. The token model is the default and works perfectly well for most patients. ASL is just a convenience option if you fill many scripts at one pharmacy.
