Medical Cannabis

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:04): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing on the topic of access to medicinal cannabis.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: As I would hope the minister would be aware, yesterday a study published in the British Medical Journal Open and undertaken in Australia in 2017 of 640 GPs, which was done by the University of Sydney's Lambert Initiative for cannabinoid therapeutics at the Brain and Mind Centre, found that the majority of GPs in our country report a lack of knowledge around medicinal cannabis, and a large majority support its use in such areas as palliative care, cancer pain, spasticity in multiple sclerosis, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and intractable epilepsy, but are frustrated by both the red tape, particularly under the TGA workings, and also the lack of education available to them. My questions to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing are:

1. What education will be provided to South Australian GPs in the coming year?

2. What analysis has been done of this need?

3. Can the minister provide an update to this council of how many South Australians have been able to access medicinal cannabis legally?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:05): In relation to the second question, I might seek clarification. I have been given some information on a confidential basis but I can't see why it is not public so, with the leave the house, I might check that and come back with the information later in question time.

In relation to the member's first question, I don't recall the date of publication or when the survey was actually taken, but I can assure the house and the member that a lot has been done in the last year or so.

The Hon. T.A. Franks: It was done in the last year and released yesterday.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Yes. To the extent that some of the activities that I will refer to may well have been since the study. Cannabis for therapeutic use is regulated as medicine in Australia and can be prescribed by doctors in line with the commonwealth framework which came into effect in November 2016. Following board consultation, as the member knows, a South Australian patient access pathway was announced in April 2017 to provide clarity for patients, medical practitioners and industry stakeholders. South Australian patients are legally accessing medicinal cannabis under the pathway.

I think the member would agree that the evidence base to support doctors in making clinical decisions about prescribing medicinal cannabis is developing. As a result, I acknowledge that doctors have relatively little readily available information on what particular medicinal cannabis product they should prescribe for their patient's condition and in what dose. Both the commonwealth and the state are trying to address that, if you like, medical education need. The commonwealth government's Therapeutic Goods Administration has published a series of guidance documents to assist health professionals and patients, especially medical practitioners who choose to prescribe medical cannabis in Australia under the current access regime.

SA Health has worked with key stakeholders, including medical practitioners, to increase awareness about patient access to and use of medicinal cannabis. This includes provision of education and information sessions for health professionals and health professional organisations. SA Health has established a dedicated medicinal cannabis website, which receives on average over 1,000 visits per month. The website provides information and resources for patients, doctors and pharmacists and includes summaries and frequently asked questions about state and commonwealth legislation and requirements in simple language. The provision of a contact line for patients and clinicians is also available to support and answer specific questions.

In relation to specific medical education opportunities given, I will take on notice the question about what we have planned for the following year, but what I can report on is an initiative that was undertaken last year. On 18 July 2017, SA Health co-hosted a medicinal cannabis clinical update with the commonwealth Department of Health. The update covered recent regulatory developments, patient access issues and the development of clinical efficacy reviews. There were more than 60 attendees at the clinical session, many of whom would have been medical practitioners. The Marshall Liberal government is committed to working with patients and their health professionals to support patient access to the care they need.