Prescribing plant based medicine
Increasing numbers of patients and doctors are turning to plant based medicine as an additional or alternative therapy. Early evidence shows encouraging signs for the efficacy of plant based therapies - like medicinal cannabis - for patients with conditions that traditional medicines have been unable to adequately treat.
Medicinal cannabis research
The body of research into the efficacy of medicinal cannabis continues to grow. Randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trials are the gold standard for demonstrating the efficacy of a medicine, and while more research is needed, early results suggest medicinal cannabis has benefits for treating a number of conditions and symptoms.
Self-report and observational studies have also demonstrated encouraging findings for a variety of conditions, including endometriosis, refractory epilepsy, and refractory spasticity.
Treatable conditions
Preliminary evidence has indicated the value of medicinal cannabis in treating a number of conditions. These include (but are not limited to):
While there are other treatment options available for these conditions, some patients find those medicines introduce intolerable side effects or simply don’t work. In these situations, medicinal cannabis offers an alternative therapy that can avoid those shortcomings and provide adequate relief from symptoms.
Advanced features currently in development for our online portal, Cannatrek Plus, include tools to assist doctors in evaluating patients and manage their prescriptions and titrations
Evaluating and prescribing medicinal cannabis
As medicinal cannabis is an unapproved medicine in Australia, approval via the Special Access Scheme (SAS) is required for its use. Patients who have suffered for at least three months from a chronic condition that hasn’t responded to traditional therapies are potentially suitable candidates for medicinal cannabis.
Special Access Scheme
To prescribe medicinal cannabis doctors must apply to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) via the Special Access Scheme (SAS). The application process involves:
- Outlining the patient’s condition or symptoms
- Explaining how previous treatments have failed or introduced side effects
- Prescribing a specific medicinal cannabis product and dosage information
- Providing a clinical justification for the medicinal cannabis product
Our online portal, Cannatrek Plus, is currently being developed to add greater functionality.The new additions will make the process easier for doctors by pre-supplying patient information and medical history, as well as suggesting products based on the patient’s condition and symptoms.
Products and Titration
The most common product forms of medicinal cannabis are cannabinoid-infused oils for oral ingestion and dried plant material for vaporising and inhaling. The onset and intensity of effects vary by the administration method, making certain products better suited for certain conditions.
Products also vary in their cannabinoid content, with the majority either being mostly CBD, mostly THC, or a THC:CBD mix.
Information about our products can be found on Cannatrek Plus. The advanced toolkit currently under development will also provide product recommendations based on the patient’s conditions and indications to assist in prescribing the most effective treatments.
Becoming a Cannatrek Partner
While its use in the medical establishment is growing, cannabis as medicine is still somewhat underutilised. This means there are many opportunities for doctors to expand their understanding of the applications of medicinal cannabis, while expanding their business to cater to increasing patient demand. The Australian Institute for Medicinal Cannabis (AIMC) offers courses on medicinal cannabis and Cannatrek provides opportunities for doctors to become partners or authorised prescribers.
