General medicines can now sit alongside snacks in vending machines after regulation changes came into effect yesterday.
However, certain safety restrictions will apply, including small pack sizes, making sure machines cannot be operated by children, and medicine kept at the right temperature, Fairfax Media reported.
Self-Medication Industry Association executive director Tim Roper said the association supported the changes, as long as safety regulations were followed.
"It provides a convenience factor. If you've got a sore throat and you're able to purchase four Strepsils from a machine, that would make a lot of sense."
But a vending machine supplier said his company would not be applying to stock any medicines and did not think the idea would catch on.
