PBS Developer Downloads

Page last updated: 5 September 2018

PBS Schedule

The Department of Health publishes the PBS Schedule on the first day of every month in a variety of electronic formats, including;

XML Schema

The PBS XML Schema is released in a distribution package. The package contains the (normative) RELAX-NG schema, (non-normative) versions of the schema in RELAX-NG compact format and W3C XML Schemas format, support files, sample instance documents and documentation.

Version 2.12 of the schema has been deprecated, see information on legacy XML.

Schema Packages Under Development

XSL Stylesheets

XSL stylesheets are provided to transform PBS XML v2.12 to text extracts. The XSL stylesheets will not work with version 3.0 PBS XML.

PBS SQLite (Beta)

For developers that have been using the text files, you should find the PBS data in SQLite format functional and elegant. The format is widely supported by common programming tools and even the free SQLite Manager for Firefox is a powerful enough environment for many operations. 

However, before using SQLite in production it is important to understand this format has had much less scrutiny than the text files or the XML. So even though the SQLite data is generated from the exact same source data as the pbs.gov.au website, please check carefully when using SQLite in production. 

PBS API (Beta)

The PBS API has been used by Allette Systems since July 2011 and was made available to developers in August 2012. The API powers the PBS Website, mobile PBS Website and is used to create the PDF Schedules and Summary of Changes.

Embargoed files (early access)

The PBS data files are also available for download from the PBS Developers website approximately four (4) weeks prior to a new Schedule’s date of effect.

These embargoed files can only be accessed from the secure section of the PBS Developers website. Access to the embargo content is at the discretion of the Department of Health and is only provided to Software Developers for the purposes of updating prescribing, dispensing and claiming software.

To apply for early access to PBS data please complete the Application for early access to monthly file updates. By completing the access form you accept that access may be revoked if the embargo conditions are not strictly observed.

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