Pennington Institute, Australia urges the Therapeutic Goods Administration of the country to take a balanced approach that is evidence-based to access to medical cannabis.
The TGA opened a consultation in August on the legality of unapproved cannabis medical products. This was done through its Special Access Scheme (SAS), and via Authorised Prescribers (AP). Submissions were due on October 7th.
Consultation was initiated amid increasing concerns over poor prescribing of unapproved cannabis medicine, especially products with high levels of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol.
While the Australian Medical Association’s (AMA’s) submission to the TGA consultation recommends quite a crackdown — including an immediate freeze on high-THC products — the Penington Institute warns a rush to restrict medicinal cannabis could cause additional harms.
The Institute’s mission is to “help people and institutions regardless of status or belief, minimise serious harms caused by legal and illicit drug use.”
Penington Institute, in its submission to TGA, supports the patient’s access to therapeutic cannabis via a safe, reliable and affordable medical framework. The Penington Institute says that there are few evidences to suggest current access to medicinal cannabis has increased health harms. It also warns against changes to access which could push patients into the unregulated and unsafe illicit market.
This review is a great opportunity to boost confidence in the medical cannabis regime. said Jake Dizard, the Penington Institute’s Director of Research and Acting CEO last week. A pragmatic and evidence-based strategy is needed. TGA should make improvements that are sensible without adding new barriers for patients.
Submission by the Institute can be viewed here.
The TGA isn’t the only organisation that wants change.
Dizard stated that Australia needed to realign cannabis policy in a major way, which included the introduction of controlled adult access cannabis for nonmedicinal purposes. A commonsense approach to cannabis regulation would reduce the pressure placed on the medicinal cannabis market and benefit the entire community.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Australia, with 11.5% of Australians having used it in 2022–2023.
TGA states that it will take into consideration all submissions before making recommendations and will continue to consult stakeholders on any reforms proposed.