'Meteoric rise' in medicinal cannabis prescriptions signals serious review
Experts have welcomed a move by the government's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to review the safety and regulatory framework for medicinal cannabis products after increasing public and professional concern.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) said cannabis products are being prescribed at "alarming rates through direct-to-consumer telehealth models".
Victorian MP and user of medicinal cannabis, David Ettershank, welcomed the review which includes a callout for public comment, and said it was "long overdue".
"There has been a meteoric rise in the use of medicinal cannabis, and that is clear from all the data from the state and federal levels," he told The Senior.
"The seniors' market is one of the fastest growing sectors for the medicinal cannabis industry, because of its ability to help with pain, arthritis, stress and sleep management."
Read more from The Senior:
Mr Ettershank said it's been a "Godsend" to be able to be prescribed approved medicinal cannabis to treat his auto-immune condition Polymyalgia Rheumatica, and ongoing chronic back pain from an injury, though admits it's not a "miracle cure for all ailments".
The Senior understands only two medicinal cannabis products have been approved by the TGA, meaning many other products are accessed through the unapproved goods scheme.
"Telehealth is an important mechanism to improve access to health services - but these direct-to-consumer, single-issue models lack clear referral pathways or a feedback loop to GPs and as the TGA has acknowledged, this requires much broader consideration by government," said AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen.
"We are seeing increasing reports of patient harm from cannabis, including psychosis, so this current surge in prescriptions is highly concerning ...Clearly, the health landscape has changed dramatically in Australia, so it is vital we look at our regulatory settings and find out what needs to be done to address any gaps."
Product-specific telehealth services are one of three key issues raised by the TGA.
Other key issues include the safety risks of the products and whether there are appropriate regulations oversight of unapproved medicinal cannabis products being accessed via the Special Access Scheme and Authorised Prescriber Scheme.
Like every industry, Mr Ettershank said, there will always be people who do the wrong thing for greed or act improperly, though from his own experience he has found practitioners take their responsibilities very seriously.
"It's a relatively new industry, having only been around for 10 years, and it is appropriate that we pause occasionally to reflect on what is happening," he said.
"I'm concerned that the scope of their consultation is limited, and it is not an inquiry by multiple agencies .... I'd like to see a holistic approach to regulation, reform, safety and quality in the medicinal cannabis sector, but we look forward to participating in the consultation."
Further details on the consultation can be found at www.consultations.tga.gov.au
For enquiries relating to this public consultation, please email MedicinalCannabisReforms@health.gov.au.
The closing date for this consultation is 23.59 AEST on October 7 2025. All submissions received by the deadline, will be considered by the TGA.
Cowboy doctors have been put on notice, as telehealth services prescribing unapproved medicinal cannabis to seniors and other vulnerable Australians come under the microscope.
Experts have welcomed a move by the government's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to review the safety and regulatory framework for medicinal cannabis products after increasing public and professional concern.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) said cannabis products are being prescribed at "alarming rates through direct-to-consumer telehealth models".
Victorian MP and user of medicinal cannabis, David Ettershank, welcomed the review which includes a callout for public comment, and said it was "long overdue".
"There has been a meteoric rise in the use of medicinal cannabis, and that is clear from all the data from the state and federal levels," he told The Senior.
"The seniors' market is one of the fastest growing sectors for the medicinal cannabis industry, because of its ability to help with pain, arthritis, stress and sleep management."
Read more from The Senior:
Mr Ettershank said it's been a "Godsend" to be able to be prescribed approved medicinal cannabis to treat his auto-immune condition Polymyalgia Rheumatica, and ongoing chronic back pain from an injury, though admits it's not a "miracle cure for all ailments".
The Senior understands only two medicinal cannabis products have been approved by the TGA, meaning many other products are accessed through the unapproved goods scheme.
"Telehealth is an important mechanism to improve access to health services - but these direct-to-consumer, single-issue models lack clear referral pathways or a feedback loop to GPs and as the TGA has acknowledged, this requires much broader consideration by government," said AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen.
"We are seeing increasing reports of patient harm from cannabis, including psychosis, so this current surge in prescriptions is highly concerning ...Clearly, the health landscape has changed dramatically in Australia, so it is vital we look at our regulatory settings and find out what needs to be done to address any gaps."
Product-specific telehealth services are one of three key issues raised by the TGA.
Other key issues include the safety risks of the products and whether there are appropriate regulations oversight of unapproved medicinal cannabis products being accessed via the Special Access Scheme and Authorised Prescriber Scheme.
Like every industry, Mr Ettershank said, there will always be people who do the wrong thing for greed or act improperly, though from his own experience he has found practitioners take their responsibilities very seriously.
"It's a relatively new industry, having only been around for 10 years, and it is appropriate that we pause occasionally to reflect on what is happening," he said.
"I'm concerned that the scope of their consultation is limited, and it is not an inquiry by multiple agencies .... I'd like to see a holistic approach to regulation, reform, safety and quality in the medicinal cannabis sector, but we look forward to participating in the consultation."
Further details on the consultation can be found at www.consultations.tga.gov.au
For enquiries relating to this public consultation, please email MedicinalCannabisReforms@health.gov.au.
The closing date for this consultation is 23.59 AEST on October 7 2025. All submissions received by the deadline, will be considered by the TGA.
Cowboy doctors have been put on notice, as telehealth services prescribing unapproved medicinal cannabis to seniors and other vulnerable Australians come under the microscope.
Experts have welcomed a move by the government's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to review the safety and regulatory framework for medicinal cannabis products after increasing public and professional concern.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) said cannabis products are being prescribed at "alarming rates through direct-to-consumer telehealth models".
Victorian MP and user of medicinal cannabis, David Ettershank, welcomed the review which includes a callout for public comment, and said it was "long overdue".
"There has been a meteoric rise in the use of medicinal cannabis, and that is clear from all the data from the state and federal levels," he told The Senior.
"The seniors' market is one of the fastest growing sectors for the medicinal cannabis industry, because of its ability to help with pain, arthritis, stress and sleep management."
Read more from The Senior:
Mr Ettershank said it's been a "Godsend" to be able to be prescribed approved medicinal cannabis to treat his auto-immune condition Polymyalgia Rheumatica, and ongoing chronic back pain from an injury, though admits it's not a "miracle cure for all ailments".
The Senior understands only two medicinal cannabis products have been approved by the TGA, meaning many other products are accessed through the unapproved goods scheme.
"Telehealth is an important mechanism to improve access to health services - but these direct-to-consumer, single-issue models lack clear referral pathways or a feedback loop to GPs and as the TGA has acknowledged, this requires much broader consideration by government," said AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen.
"We are seeing increasing reports of patient harm from cannabis, including psychosis, so this current surge in prescriptions is highly concerning ...Clearly, the health landscape has changed dramatically in Australia, so it is vital we look at our regulatory settings and find out what needs to be done to address any gaps."
Product-specific telehealth services are one of three key issues raised by the TGA.
Other key issues include the safety risks of the products and whether there are appropriate regulations oversight of unapproved medicinal cannabis products being accessed via the Special Access Scheme and Authorised Prescriber Scheme.
Like every industry, Mr Ettershank said, there will always be people who do the wrong thing for greed or act improperly, though from his own experience he has found practitioners take their responsibilities very seriously.
"It's a relatively new industry, having only been around for 10 years, and it is appropriate that we pause occasionally to reflect on what is happening," he said.
"I'm concerned that the scope of their consultation is limited, and it is not an inquiry by multiple agencies .... I'd like to see a holistic approach to regulation, reform, safety and quality in the medicinal cannabis sector, but we look forward to participating in the consultation."
Further details on the consultation can be found at www.consultations.tga.gov.au
For enquiries relating to this public consultation, please email MedicinalCannabisReforms@health.gov.au.
The closing date for this consultation is 23.59 AEST on October 7 2025. All submissions received by the deadline, will be considered by the TGA.
Cowboy doctors have been put on notice, as telehealth services prescribing unapproved medicinal cannabis to seniors and other vulnerable Australians come under the microscope.
Experts have welcomed a move by the government's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to review the safety and regulatory framework for medicinal cannabis products after increasing public and professional concern.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) said cannabis products are being prescribed at "alarming rates through direct-to-consumer telehealth models".
Victorian MP and user of medicinal cannabis, David Ettershank, welcomed the review which includes a callout for public comment, and said it was "long overdue".
"There has been a meteoric rise in the use of medicinal cannabis, and that is clear from all the data from the state and federal levels," he told The Senior.
"The seniors' market is one of the fastest growing sectors for the medicinal cannabis industry, because of its ability to help with pain, arthritis, stress and sleep management."
Read more from The Senior:
Mr Ettershank said it's been a "Godsend" to be able to be prescribed approved medicinal cannabis to treat his auto-immune condition Polymyalgia Rheumatica, and ongoing chronic back pain from an injury, though admits it's not a "miracle cure for all ailments".
The Senior understands only two medicinal cannabis products have been approved by the TGA, meaning many other products are accessed through the unapproved goods scheme.
"Telehealth is an important mechanism to improve access to health services - but these direct-to-consumer, single-issue models lack clear referral pathways or a feedback loop to GPs and as the TGA has acknowledged, this requires much broader consideration by government," said AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen.
"We are seeing increasing reports of patient harm from cannabis, including psychosis, so this current surge in prescriptions is highly concerning ...Clearly, the health landscape has changed dramatically in Australia, so it is vital we look at our regulatory settings and find out what needs to be done to address any gaps."
Product-specific telehealth services are one of three key issues raised by the TGA.
Other key issues include the safety risks of the products and whether there are appropriate regulations oversight of unapproved medicinal cannabis products being accessed via the Special Access Scheme and Authorised Prescriber Scheme.
Like every industry, Mr Ettershank said, there will always be people who do the wrong thing for greed or act improperly, though from his own experience he has found practitioners take their responsibilities very seriously.
"It's a relatively new industry, having only been around for 10 years, and it is appropriate that we pause occasionally to reflect on what is happening," he said.
"I'm concerned that the scope of their consultation is limited, and it is not an inquiry by multiple agencies .... I'd like to see a holistic approach to regulation, reform, safety and quality in the medicinal cannabis sector, but we look forward to participating in the consultation."
Further details on the consultation can be found at www.consultations.tga.gov.au
For enquiries relating to this public consultation, please email MedicinalCannabisReforms@health.gov.au.
The closing date for this consultation is 23.59 AEST on October 7 2025. All submissions received by the deadline, will be considered by the TGA.
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