Doctors warned to be on lookout for drug hoarders ripping off Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme Doctors have been urged by the Federal Government to push back against patients who appear to be stockpiling medicines or are exploiting a loophole to get cheaper drugs. PATIENTS face being denied medicines under a national crackdown on "hoarders" who are cheating taxpayers and draining the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme. The Human Services Department has written to every medico in the country warning them of the fraud and that it may be increasing. It comes as The Sunday Mail can reveal there are fears that some patients may be doctor shopping for ­prescriptions and buying ­taxpayer-subsidised medicines to sell for a profit overseas, or to a relative who has been ­denied the drugs. It is believed they are being sent by post to associates or ­advertised on social media or forums. In November, the Government's fraud hotline received a tip-off about medicines being sent overseas in potentially fraudulent circumstances but the department has refused to outline the details. The letter sent to GPs, and obtained by <i>The Sunday Mail</i>, warned doctors to be on the lookout for opportunistic patients. "The Human Service Department is asking practitioners to be mindful of a potential increase in requests for medicines at this time of year and the consequences of getting more medicine than is needed," it said. The PBS Safety Net reduces the cost of prescription medicines for individuals and families once they reach the Safety Net threshold. Once the Safety Net threshold has been reached, medicines covered under the PBS are cheaper or free, for the rest of the calendar year.  Australian Medical Association president Steve Hambleton said some people may be sending medicines overseas to relatives who cannot afford to buy the drugs. He said a pensioner who received PBS medicines for $5.50 may be buying them for other family members to save them money. "The safety net is there to assist those patients and families who have high costs in any one year," Dr Hambleton said. Health Minister Peter Dutton said it was in everyone's interest to stop people defrauding the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. "Australians work hard and pay taxes to help pay for our medicines system," he said. "If people have any information about people ripping off the system, dob them in by calling the Fraud Tip-off Line," he said. The Australian Government's Fraud Tip-off Line: 13 15 24