Decommissioning of NPS MedicineWise and Doctor’s Bag mobile applications
In January 2023, the MedicineWise (MWA) and Doctor’s Bag (DBA) mobile applications transitioned from NPS MedicineWise to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission).
MedicineWise app (MWA): Launched in June 2017, this app enabled consumers and health professionals to track medicines and access health information.
Doctor’s Bag app (DBA): Launched in May 2015, this app provided health professionals with emergency medicines information for medicines subsidised under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
The Commission reviewed both apps to assess uptake, utility, maintenance requirements, safety and privacy risks, and alternative products available. Key findings included:
MWA: Low usage and retention, limited unique value, and significant effort required to maintain safety and privacy relative to user numbers.
DBA: Low usage and limited value, as GPs typically refer to published guidelines for dosage and administrative requirements.
Based on these findings, the Commission will decommission both apps at midday AEDT on Tuesday, 10 February 2026.
After this date, the MWA will no longer function fully. Users have been contacted with guidance on alternative products and instructions for downloading or removing their data.
While the DBA will remain on devices, it will no longer be updated and is not recommended for use.
Please share this information with your networks as appropriate. For further details, email QUMCustomerService@safetyandquality.gov.au