MediSecure hack: no risk for eRx
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 the investigation into the major ransomware attack on MediSecure.
Last week it was reported that it was a digital recipe platform hit by a “large-scale” cyber attack, affecting individuals’ personal and health information.
Over the weekend, MediSecure confirmed that the compromised data in its system involved prescriptions distributed “until November 2023,” when it stopped offering prescription delivery services nationally. The infringement also exmade the personal data of healthcare providers available.
In a separate statement, the Australian government assured that e-prescriptions currently being distributed would remain unaffected. “The national prescription delivery service, eRx, is not affected by this cyber incident,” the report said.
“Consumers can continue to safely access medicines, and healthcare providers can still prescribe and dispense as usual,” the government advised.
THE GREATER 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. “There is no evidence that there is an increased cyber threat to the medical sector,” the report said.
“In addition, the digital systems that support the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme, Medicare, Real Time Prescription Monitoring and My Health Record were not affected by this cyber security incident.”
As yet unknown actors may have hacked MediSecure through one of its third-party vendors, MediSecure said in its initial statement last week.
Late last year, the government switched to a new prescription delivery service provider, eRx Script Exchange, after awarding an exclusive four-year contract to the operator. Fred IT.
The use of electronic prescriptions has been promoted over the years as an alternative to paper 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 nurses since May 2020.