As of July 1 all GP’s in Tasmania can prescribe medicinal cannabis products.

Tasmania was the only jurisdiction in Australia where GPs could not prescribe medicinal cannabis to patients.

Patients could only gain legal access to the drug through a lengthy and costly process via a medical specialist, like a neurologist.

Tasmanian GPs are now able to seek permission through the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

GPs will need to apply for each patient individually through the national streamlined online application pathway and they will receive authorisation as to whether they can prescribe within 48 hours.

Patients who are successfully prescribed medicinal cannabis through a GP will then get their script filled at private pharmacies.

Prior to this all prescribed medicinal cannabis through the Controlled Access Scheme is dispensed at Tasmanian Health Service pharmacies in hospitals and is given out a heavily subsidised rate by the State Government.

Specialists will still be able to prescribe under the changes and it is understood patients who get scripts that way will still get medication at a subsidised rate.

Thursday 1st July 2021

source