Australian Medical Association calls for stricter cannabis rules

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) advocates for stricter regulations on the Special Access Scheme (SAS) and Authorised Prescriber Scheme (APS) concerning medical cannabis prescriptions. These schemes allow patients to obtain unapproved therapeutic goods when necessary. The SAS provides individual access on a case-by-case basis, requiring healthcare practitioners to submit applications to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on behalf of patients. Meanwhile, the APS allows approved medical practitioners to prescribe specific unapproved products to groups of patients with designated medical conditions without needing individual applications.

Since the legalization of medical cannabis in Australia in 2016, prescribing practices have remained tightly regulated. However, the AMA has identified vulnerabilities in these regulations, particularly with the increased use of telehealth services. A notable instance involved a medical practitioner who prescribed medical cannabis to over 31,000 patients in just six months, raising concerns about the adequacy of oversight.

AMA President Dr. Danielle McMullen emphasized that while the TGA does not regulate health professional behavior, there should be appropriate scrutiny for practitioners applying to provide unapproved therapeutic goods. The AMA proposes that the TGA should share pertinent information with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) when there are substantial concerns.

In a formal submission to the TGA, the AMA suggested additional reforms, including a review of the categories of medicinal cannabis products. Dr. McMullen specifically called for the removal of category 5, which includes products with a THC content exceeding 98%. This category is frequently prescribed, but the AMA argues that there is no justification for such high THC levels in medical cannabis.

Furthermore, the AMA recommends that therapeutic products should be registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). To prevent the SAS from being used as a loophole to bypass ARTG registration, the AMA urges the TGA to limit the quantity of products accessed through the SAS before mandatory registration on the ARTG is required.

The AMA’s detailed submission to the TGA outlines these proposed changes, aiming to ensure that the medical cannabis framework in Australia is both effective and secure for patients.