Page 1961 - Week 05 - Thursday, 16 May 2019
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under the ACT Controlled Medicines Prescribing Standards; if so, how many approvals and for what conditions.
(8) When was the last meeting of the Medicinal Cannabis Advisory Group and can the Minister provide a copy of the minutes of the last meeting.
(9) Is ACT Health aware of any concerns from members of the public who have tried to access medicinal cannabis through the ACT Medicinal Cannabis Scheme but been unsuccessful; if so, what reasons have been given for not being able to access medicinal cannabis through the Scheme.
Ms Fitzharris: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) 49 prescriptions for medicinal cannabis products are known by ACT Health to have been dispensed in the ACT since 21 November 2016.
(2) Seven prescribers have been approved by ACT Health to prescribe medicinal cannabis for a total of 28 patients.
(3) The majority of all applications have been processed by ACT Health within two business days following receipt.
(4) Pharmacists in the ACT are not required to obtain any approval from ACT Health to dispense medicinal cannabis.
(5) The ACT Health approval process for medicinal cannabis is similar to the approval process for prescribing other controlled medicines. All prescribers are required to seek approval of the Chief Health Officer before prescribing medicinal cannabis in certain circumstances, as is the case for other controlled medicines. Similarly, applications to prescribe medicinal cannabis are assessed by ACT Health delegates of the Chief Health Officer in accordance with the Controlled Medicines Prescribing Standards. A different application form is used for medicinal cannabis approval applications, due to the different information required to be provided by applicants compared to other controlled medicines.
(6) The last meeting of the Medicinal Cannabis Medical Advisory Panel (MCMAP) was on the 20 March 2019. The MCMAP discusses patient information and therefore ACT Health is unable to provide copies of the minutes as these contain patient health records.
(7) The MCMAP has approved three applications to prescribe medicinal cannabis for conditions other than those listed under the ACT Controlled Medicines Prescribing Standards. The approvals were for chronic pain.
(8) The last meeting of the Medicinal Cannabis Advisory Group (MCAG) was on 18 September 2017. ACT Health is unable to provide a copy of the last meeting minutes as information considered by the MCAG are confidential to persons and organisations represented at the MCAG meetings.
(9) ACT Health has not been contacted by any members of the public that have been unsuccessful in seeking approval to prescribe medicinal cannabis under the ACT Medicinal Cannabis Scheme. No applications to prescribe medicinal cannabis that have been received by ACT Health have been refused.
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