What specific standards does the Department of Health require for records of medicine receipts and supplies, and how long must they be kept?

Records of medicine receipts and issues are central to the medicine traceability system and a key focus of regulatory inspections. Under the requirements, records of all receipts and issues of Part I poisons and dangerous drugs in Schedules 1 and 3 must be detailed and accurate. The specific standards are as follows: for purchases (receipts), records must include the purchase date, medicine name, dosage form, strength, quantity, and supplier’s name and address. For sales (issues), records must include the sale date, medicine name, dosage form, strength, quantity, and purchaser’s name and address. Each transaction should be supported by a corresponding invoice or document. All records must be maintained legibly and indelibly, whether in paper ledgers or an electronic system. They must be entered as soon as possible after each transaction and retained for at least two years from the date of the last entry.