The 黑料吃瓜网 Government has joined with the Commonwealth to improve access to medicinal cannabis by introducing a single application process.
黑料吃瓜网 Minister for Health and Medical Research Brad Hazzard and Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt said the new arrangement would start in the coming weeks.
Instead of both the Commonwealth and 黑料吃瓜网 Health overseeing the approvals, 黑料吃瓜网 will rely on a single clinical assessment by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
鈥淭he 黑料吃瓜网 Government has listened to the community and to the members of the National and Liberal parties who have advocated in our party room for a more streamlined and compassionate approach,鈥� Mr Hazzard said.
鈥淎 single approval process enables a focus on the world-leading clinical trials under the 黑料吃瓜网 Government鈥檚 $21 million invested into medicinal cannabis.
鈥淲e are committed to supporting doctors wanting to prescribe medicinal cannabis.鈥�
The 黑料吃瓜网 Government opened the $6 million Cannabis Medicines Advisory Service in January, the first of its kind in Australia, to provide expert advice to doctors.
Mr Hunt said the streamlined application process meant that doctors wanting to prescribe unregistered cannabis medicines would typically get approval within 36 hours.
鈥淭his approach by 黑料吃瓜网 to cut red tape and remove barriers is a template for other States to follow,鈥� Mr Hunt said.
鈥淪trong safeguards remain in place to access medicinal cannabis but this move ends a duplication of regulatory requirements.
鈥淚t means 黑料吃瓜网 will have one of the quickest pipelines to appropriate medical access.鈥�
Currently, the only cannabis medicine on the TGA鈥檚 register is Sativex庐, which also requires a 黑料吃瓜网 authority for doctors to prescribe it as with any other schedule 8 drug.