Our AHPRA registered Australian doctors specialise in treating patients with medical cannabis. We offer convenient Telehealth phone consultations, and free shipping of products straight to your home.
Accessing medicinal cannabis is regulated through the Special Access Scheme by the TGA. This pathway allows doctors to prescribe the product based on their clinical judgement on a patient to patient basis.
Special Access Scheme (SAS) Category B is the most common and quickest pathway a medical practitioner can take to prescribe a medicinal cannabis product to a single patient.
All the prescriptions are subject to approval by the TGA, however this will all be handled by your doctor during your consultation.
A detailed initial assessment to ensure that patient centred care is provided.
At your consultation your doctor will discuss your conditions and symptoms, your current medication and finally the benefits and risks associated with using medicinal cannabis. If your doctor feels like medicinal cannabis is a viable option for you, they will then discuss the different products that are available to you.
Product and dosage all come down to the individual patient and their needs. There are many medical cannabis products, variants and applications in the market. Product choice is the responsibility of the doctor and they’ll research and compare products to find which best fits your condition, budget and circumstances.
With a patient’s consent, practitioners can apply for federal and state approval by
having confirmed your medical condition and relevant medical history,
submit documentation outlining which medications for your condition have been prescribed and are not working or have adverse effects.
submit a treatment plan and monitoring plan.
The TGA approval timeline is approximately 1-2 days but allow up to 5 days. Timelines may vary based on the complexity of the condition being treated.
Once approval is received, your doctor will write a prescription, as well as a copy of your approval letters. Orders can be direct to your door or at your choice of pharmacy.
Medical cannabis (also called medical marijuana) refers to the use of the cannabis plant and its component cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) as a medical treatment for certain conditions and their associated symptoms.
The flowering head of the cannabis plant contains the highest concentration of cannabinoids, differing to hemp oil which, in Australia, comes from pressing seeds
derived from the hemp plant.
It should be noted that referring to cannabis as though it were one type of medicine is misleading as there are various forms that medicinal cannabis can take as well as a range of strengths and varieties.
Medical grade cannabis is highly regulated and adheres to pharmaceutical standards in regards to quality, safety and production unlike illegal cannabis.
Over 144 cannabinoids have been isolated within the cannabis plant but the main cannabinoids that are clinically used today are: Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). CBD and THC have almost identical chemical makeup. Both cannabinoids have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. THC can have psychoactive effects like euphoria.
CBD is non-intoxicating, is non-addictive and less potent than THC with very low toxicity.
Cannabis formulations have different ratios of THC to CBD. Each formulation:
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) grants medical practitioners access to unapproved medicines, such as medicinal cannabis, via the Special Access Scheme and Authorised Prescriber pathways. To see all the Special Access Scheme Category B (SAS B) applications received for medicinal cannabis products by the TGA (categorised by condition) please visit the TGA webpage
https://www.tga.gov.au/medicinal-cannabis-special-access-scheme-category-b-data
Medical cannabis effects (especially CBD dominant products) are not always felt immediately.
It may take 2-4 weeks at the right dose to really know if the medicine is achieving therapeutic benefit
Bearing the above in mind, it might take 2-4 weeks to get onto the right dose
(in total maybe 6-8 weeks to properly feel full therapeutic benefit)
If your symptoms are not improved after this time, then you can discuss other options your doctor. This can include a change of THC:CBD ratio.
