--- title: Active Ingredient Prescribing slug: portal-sub/active-ingredient-prescribing docTags: createdAt: 2026-03-04T12:03:18.098Z --- # Active Ingredient Prescribing (AIP) Australia requires all medications are prescribed using Active Ingredients (the Generic Name in Profile), except where specific criteria are met (item appears on the List of Medicines for Brand Consideration (LMBC) or the List of Excluded Medicinal Items (LEMI)), or the prescriber specifies Brand Substitution Not Permitted. In Profile v8.7 and later, no preference settings are required to active AIP; the rules are built into the Prescribing workflow. For more information on AIP, please review: [https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/active-ingredient-prescribing-user-guide](https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/active-ingredient-prescribing-user-guide). Note: For clinics upgrading to Profile v8.7 in May 2022, it is essential that the latest (version 2) May MIMS Files are imported before using Profile v8.7.  The updated MIMS files include new information required for AIP (such as active ingredient names, and medications on the LEMI and LMBC lists which allow Profile to best advise users while prescribing. AIP Prescribing --------------- ### Configuration Profile has always supported the concept of AIP (Generic Prescribing) and provides a preference to set Generic Prescribing by default by going to **Organisation/Preferences/Scripts and Instructions/Interface** tab and checking the **Prescribe Generic by Default** checkbox.  Checking this preference will reduce the number of AIP challenge dialogs displayed whilst prescribing, as AIP will become the prescriber’s default choice. ![](https://api.qa.archbee.co/api/optimize/zICxj0dnLereb6UUrBA3-/R0MXa6QEJHN0odb7ghtmt_jm0nckij1y1tvqbapcvnexrjm-qisqyw.png) ### Prescription Options There are three options for Prescribing: 1. AIP Name only This is the default for most prescriptions.  It is the equivalent of checking the **Generic** checkbox and leaving the **Include brand name on script** checkbox unchecked. ::Image[]{src="https://api.qa.archbee.co/api/optimize/zICxj0dnLereb6UUrBA3-/Q3ujy7EX8Gk02Z9UWbkTh_fati0795194u75-dahlaevzoflq0pw8g.png" size="100" isUploading="false" initialPath="assets/Fati0795194U75-dAhlAev_ZoFlQ0PW_8g.png" githubPath="en/Medication Management/Prescriptions - Australia/assets/Fati0795194U75-dAhlAev_ZoFlQ0PW_8g.png" position="flex-start" showCaption="false" indent="2"} :::Paragraph{indent="1"} Resulting printed script item: ::: ::Image[]{src="https://api.qa.archbee.co/api/optimize/zICxj0dnLereb6UUrBA3-/sfvD3fpSv11dEvGPL74gH_jwfsa83dth3gfxlvxpnkxor-wbvm7ucqbw.png" size="79" isUploading="false" initialPath="assets/JWFSA83dTH3gfxLvXPnkXOR-wbvM7ucqBw.png" githubPath="en/Medication Management/Prescriptions - Australia/assets/JWFSA83dTH3gfxLvXPnkXOR-wbvM7ucqBw.png" position="flex-start" showCaption="false" indent="2"} 2. AIP Name (Brand Name)Where it is appropriate to include the brand on the prescription, check both the **Generic** and the **Include brand name on script** checkboxes. ::Image[]{src="https://api.qa.archbee.co/api/optimize/zICxj0dnLereb6UUrBA3-/o7A6X-9gNH8Bd4HoHdE8C_vq6idiyuxntxdatui8gpakxwhf5-diog5w.png" size="100" isUploading="false" initialPath="assets/Vq6IdiyUXNtxdATUi8GPakxWhf5-dIog5w.png" githubPath="en/Medication Management/Prescriptions - Australia/assets/Vq6IdiyUXNtxdATUi8GPakxWhf5-dIog5w.png" position="flex-start" showCaption="false" indent="2"} :::Paragraph{indent="1"} Resulting printed script item: ::: ::Image[]{src="https://api.qa.archbee.co/api/optimize/zICxj0dnLereb6UUrBA3-/DHz5tat2vT64p2t82Ob2I_8zpmlmxjl6ajhkquv6ivr8gyhvot8ng0jq.png" size="78" isUploading="false" initialPath="assets/8ZPmlmxjL6AjHkQUv6IvR8GYHvoT8ng0JQ.png" githubPath="en/Medication Management/Prescriptions - Australia/assets/8ZPmlmxjL6AjHkQUv6IvR8GYHvoT8ng0JQ.png" position="flex-start" showCaption="false" indent="2"} 3. Brand Name onlyWhere it is appropriate to prescribe by brand only, uncheck the **Generic **checkbox and check the **Brand substitution not permitted**checkbox. ![](https://api.qa.archbee.co/api/optimize/zICxj0dnLereb6UUrBA3-/XFwRdHGo-KUlYr-eGutJ9_q0bbgi7ezuctwrqxnyqzd73r-llord5hw.png)             Resulting printed script item: ::Image[]{src="https://api.qa.archbee.co/api/optimize/zICxj0dnLereb6UUrBA3-/WBEuRc4YqxfzFiE7HHyoX_drqd6q6fvlywceflptgdw5nfdpldvxht2w.png" size="81" isUploading="false" initialPath="assets/dRQd6Q6FVLYwCeFlPTgdw5NfdpldVxHT2w.png" githubPath="en/Medication Management/Prescriptions - Australia/assets/dRQd6Q6FVLYwCeFlPTgdw5NfdpldVxHT2w.png" position="flex-start" showCaption="false"} ### Guidance During the prescribing process, AIP guidance will assist the prescriber in selecting between AIP, Brand, or both. Prescribing by Brand will ask the prescriber to select either AIP only or AIP including the brand name as well.  It is a national requirement that this challenge is presented whenever prescribing by brand. ![](https://api.qa.archbee.co/api/optimize/zICxj0dnLereb6UUrBA3-/LoENx1rHmUU15SZwFbHNr_smcei809e-q7synzev8uojrqtfvbp0yaca.png) If prescribing by brand is essential, the prescriber may press **Cancel** and in the Edit Instruction window, check the **Brand substitution not permitted **checkbox. The List of Medicines for Brand Consideration (LMBC) includes medicines prescribers should consider prescribing by brand as well as active ingredient, if clinically necessary for the treatment of their patient.  This list is maintained in Profile automatically each time the monthly MIMS update is imported.  If a medication is on the LMBC and is prescribed generically (AIP only), the following guidance will be displayed: ![](https://api.qa.archbee.co/api/optimize/zICxj0dnLereb6UUrBA3-/tLreRkJpEf6MKFdYRoLI0_cswmsnk5dkpwkktwcvvijzfgu3iwzfdpg.png) If the medication was originally selected as a Generic, pressing **Yes** will return the prescriber to the selection window to specifically choose a Brand.  If the medication has been selected by Brand, the dialog will close without further action, and the Brand will be appended to the prescription name. The List of Excluded Medicinal Items (LEMI) includes medicines which should be prescribed by brand only for practical and safety purposes.  This list is maintained in Profile automatically each time the monthly MIMS updated is imported.  If a medication is on the LEMI and is prescribed generically (AIP only), the following guidance will be displayed: ![](https://api.qa.archbee.co/api/optimize/zICxj0dnLereb6UUrBA3-/Qrvh_6NUQ_0itz0u6rs0r_byswzjihcaphsqvojjwjjezxe3gpk5qaq.png) If the medication was originally selected as a Generic, pressing **Yes** will return the prescriber to the selection window to specifically choose a Brand.  If the medication has been selected by Brand, the dialog will close without further action, and the Brand will be appended to the prescription name.