Medicinal Marijuana 'Hotline' Could Help GPs Weed Out Demand For Prescriptions

You won't get it willy nilly


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The Therapeutic Goods Administration is set to create a medicinal marijuana hotline to help doctors feeling pressured to prescribe cannabis oil for conditions that don't require it, like back pain.

Some of the country's top health agencies have raised concerns about patients demanding easier access to the drug, for conditions that could be treated by other drugs, acupuncture or exercise.

Vice President of the Australian Medical Association Tony Bartoni says it is important to realise the drug is still very highly regulated and prescriptions don't come easy unless you critically require it.

"Medicinal marijuana prescriptions and use will be limited to really highly regulated situations either through clinical trials that are currently being undertaken, or through very specific special access schemes. There's a lot of red tape, forms and approval before access is granted," he said.

"It won't be the panacea for a bit of back pain of headache that you can grab from your local GP."

Meantime, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has demanded a list of doctors willing to prescribe medicinal marijuana be made public, but Bartoni says it's too early for that.

"A public register is perhaps premature at this stage. It's more about the appropriate information being shared between doctors and patients."

17 May 2017




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