Medical Cannabis

In reply to the Hon. T.A. FRANKS (4 July 2018).

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing): I have been advised:

SA Health has worked extensively with medical practitioners, pharmacists and health professional organisations to raise awareness about patient access and use of medicinal cannabis in South Australia, and will continue to do so in the coming year.

SA Health has delivered several information sessions for doctors and pharmacists about patient access to medicinal cannabis over the last year. Information and clinical advice is also available from our pharmacists and medicines information services in public hospitals.

The establishment of a dedicated medicinal cannabis webpage by SA Health provides resources for patients, doctors and pharmacists and includes summaries, fact sheets and references to clinical literature, and to the guidance documents developed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to support doctors who want to prescribe medicinal cannabis for their patients. A telephone information service is also available for patients and clinicians. Over the coming year SA Health will continue to develop these education resources to ensure they meet the evolving needs and questions of health professionals and consumers.

Acknowledging the key role of health professional organisations in educating their members on clinical topics, SA Health has engaged with these groups to support dissemination of information and education to their members.

The commonwealth TGA has led the development of clinical guidance documents on medicinal cannabis at a national level and funds the development of independent evidence-based information for health professionals including general practitioners.

SA Health will continue to support the TGA in the development of education materials and to ensure that these are available to our health professionals in South Australia.