Accessing Medicinal Cannabis Treatment — Patient Pathways
Medicinal cannabis has been a legal therapeutic option in Australia for several years, yet many patients find the pathway to access confusing. Unlike most other prescription medicines, the majority of medicinal cannabis products in Australia are unapproved therapeutic goods. Patients therefore must navigate specific regulatory processes to obtain treatment under medical supervision.
The Two Main Pathways to Access Medicinal Cannabis
Australia has two primary regulated pathways that healthcare practitioners use to help patients access medicinal cannabis:
1) Special Access Scheme (SAS) — Category B
Under SAS-B, a prescriber applies to the TGA to gain approval to prescribe an unapproved medicinal cannabis product for a specific patient on a case-by-case basis. This is the most common route for individual patients.
The healthcare practitioner submits an application through the SAS & Authorised Prescriber Online System. The application must include clinical justification such as patient history, indication, and why other therapies are not appropriate. Once approved by the TGA, the healthcare practitioner can prescribe and the patient can access the medicine through a pharmacy.
The SAS pathway typically processes applications in a few days but can vary depending on the completeness of the submission.
2) Authorised Prescriber (AP) Scheme
Under the AP scheme, a healthcare practitioner applies to become authorised to prescribe a specified medicinal cannabis category to a class of patients without needing to make separate SAS applications for each individual. Under this scheme, practitioners can apply to be an AP across different categories and product types.
To become an authorised prescriber, the healthcare practitioner must demonstrate experience treating the relevant condition and often needs endorsement from a specialist college or Human Research Ethics Committee. Once approved, the healthcare practitioner can prescribe the authorised product to eligible patients within their practice for the duration of the authority (commonly up to 5 years).
Patient Pathway: Step-by-Step
While individual experiences vary, most patients follow a similar sequence:
Initial Consultation:
A patient meets with a healthcare practitioner to discuss symptoms, past treatments, and whether medicinal cannabis might be appropriate. A thorough clinical assessment is essential.
TGA Submission:
If a healthcare practitioner believes medicinal cannabis is suitable, they will submit a SAS-B application or simply write a prescription if they’re under the AP scheme.
Approval and Prescription:
Once the TGA approves, the healthcare practitioner issues a prescription that the patient can fill at a pharmacy. Some products may be Schedule 8 (controlled drugs), meaning they require extra monitoring and may be subject to state-specific requirements.
Follow-Up:
Good practice involves ongoing monitoring of your response, adjusting doses as needed, and setting review points to determine continuation or cessation of therapy.
Medicinal cannabis prescribing carries risk and complexity. Most products are unapproved, meaning they bypass the usual market-entry evaluations that registered medicines undergo. healthcare practitioners must therefore practise careful assessment and follow-up, similar to prescribing other potent medicines with abuse potential. For businesses within this sector, it is absolutely vital to be well-informed about the patient journey and processes in order to best support the needs of Australian patients.
Learn More
EQWELLIBRIYUM offers end-to-end consulting for organisations navigating the medicinal cannabis market in Australia. With strategic insights and operational frameworks that are designed to help you thrive, we’re here to help you. Learn more by contacting us today at hello@eqwellibriyum.com.
Reference List
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (2021). National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (2nd ed.). ACSQHC.
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). (2022). Code of Conduct for Registered Health Practitioners. AHPRA.
Pharmacy Board of Australia. (2023). Professional Practice Standards. Pharmacy Board of Australia.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2022). Australia’s health 2022: Data insights. AIHW.