The Australian government has assured that healthcare providers in the country can safely prescribe and dispense electronic prescriptions as usual amid the early stages of investigation into the major ransomware attack on MediSecure.

Last week, it was reported that the digital prescription platform was hit by a "large-scale" cyberattack, affecting the personal and health information of individuals. 

Over the weekend, MediSecure confirmed that the compromised data in its system involved prescriptions distributed "up until November 2023" when it ceased to provide prescription delivery service nationally. The breach also exposed the personal information of healthcare providers.

In a separate statement, the Australian government assured that e-prescriptions being distributed currently are unaffected. "The national prescription delivery service, eRx, is not affected by this cyber incident," it said. 

"Consumers can continue to access medicines safely, and healthcare providers can still prescribe and dispense as usual," the government advised. 

THE LARGER CONTEXT

Australia is working on a whole-of-government response to the ransomware incident. So far, it has been confirmed that its impact is limited to MediSecure's systems only. "There is no evidence to suggest there is an increased cyber threat to the medical sector," it said. 

"Additionally, digital systems supporting the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Medicare, Real Time Prescription Monitoring and My Health Record have not been impacted by this cyber security incident."

Still-unidentified actors might have hacked into MediSecure through one of its third-party vendors, MediSecure said in its initial statement last week.

Late last year, the government transitioned to a new prescription delivery service provider, eRx Script Exchange, after awarding an exclusive four-year contract to its operator Fred IT. 

The uptake of e-prescriptions has been promoted over the years as an alternative to paper-based prescribing. Data from the Australian Digital Health Agency shows that more than 189 million e-prescriptions have been issued by more than 80,000 GPs and nurse practitioners since May 2020.