On February 1st 2021, the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia officially made the purchase of over-the-counter CBD oil without the need of a prescription, available at participating pharmacies and clinics. With this change of regulation, there is a new method for patients to access medical cannabis in Australia.
Integrated clinics are comprised of healthcare professionals that offer medical cannabis treatment through their online platforms. Within their teams include doctors and pharmacists that provide treatment plans for patients.
Traditional Method - 2017 to 2021
Over the past few years the most common way for patients to access medical cannabis was by:
- Visiting a GP and obtaining a health summary and referral
- Presenting that health summary and referral to a specialist clinic
- A specialist clinic prescribing a CBD oil and medical cannabis product via a script
- Connecting with a pharmacy to have that script dispensed and have the CBD oil product in the patients hands
New Integrated Method - 2022 onwards
Today, integrated clinics have streamlined the process by combining:
- Consultation with a doctor (without a referral or by your GP)
- Recommending a treatment plan
- Dispensing the product to a patient with their integrated pharmacy
The consultation, treatment and product delivery is all integrated in one service.
Integrated clinics and pharmacies offer tailored treatment plans, where no referral or health summary is needed. We expect to see a lot of companies heading down an integrated service path, to make access easier for patients.
CA Connect Integrated Clinic and Pharmacy
CA Connect (part of the CA Clinics) is the first integrated clinic and pharmacy service in Australia, making CBD products for Australian through their online platform. Their team includes doctors, pharmacists and medical professionals that specialise CBD for the treatment of a variety of conditions.
According to their website:
- No referral or health summary is needed
- Ongoing support and follow ups
- Direct access to CA Clinics for treatment of more complex conditions
Read our Q&A Interview with Dr. Nicholas Mabarrack, Medical Director of CA Connect
Read Interview Visit CA Connect