Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
he first month of the Tasmanian Government's Medicinal Cannabis Controlled Access Scheme is being bogged down in hours of paperwork and confusion over how it is meant to operate.
Since the scheme started on September 1 the Health Department has received just three applications from medical specialists with none yet approved.
Multiple sclerosis sufferer Robyn Butterworth told the ABC she asked her specialist to apply for approval from the department but was denied.
"Even after the first of September when it became legal for him to prescribe, he still has refused because he is still saying there is not enough research for him."
The 61-year-old has suffered from MS for the past 20 years but only started using medicinal cannabis in 2007, after suffering side-effects from using several prescription drugs.
"It made me feel nauseous, it made me feel quite sick in the stomach, it didn't ease the spasms, it dried my mouth out," she said.
"I couldn't speak, I couldn't chew, I couldn't swallow — it was really quite awful, a horrible experience."
Miss Butterworth said it was much better treating the symptoms of MS once she started using medicinal cannabis.
"My whole life has changed, my quality of life has improved out of sight," she said.
"It alleviates the pain really well, it takes it down to a tolerable level and eventually it will go away.
"The problem is no one is prepared to prescribe it at all and what I'm using is the black market."
'No one knows how to access the scheme'
The ABC understands just one specialist has so far been prepared to apply for the controlled access scheme, with the paperwork taking three to four hours to complete per patient.
GPs have also been hesitant to refer patients to a relevant medical specialist, as required as part of the procedures.
One woman receiving palliative care for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an irreversible lung condition that causes asthma-like symptoms, started using cannabis two years ago to assist her breathing and was initially hopeful of being referred by her doctor.
"I haven't been able to access the scheme because there is no one who really knows how to access it.
"All this should have been sorted out before the Government put this thing in place."
'Unified national approach needed'
Dr Bastian Seidel of the Royal College of General Practitioners said such anecdotes were not surprising as patients and GPs remain confused over how the scheme works.
"There has been limited information from the Tasmanian Government and the Tasmanian Health Service as to how patients can be referred," he said.
"It really is quite difficult for GPs to refer to the appropriate organization or the appropriate hospital specialist.
Dr Seidel suggested a unified national approach was needed to fix the problem.
"What we are currently seeing is that individual states are dreaming up their own schemes — you know, putting some amount of funding in there, [and] putting a lot expectations out there on patients and on practitioners," he said.
"What we are seeing is the patients that potentially would benefit from medicinal cannabis still don't get it and practitioners who would like to prescribe it still are not able to prescribe it."
There is currently no timeline on a decision regarding the pending applications before the Health and Human Services Department.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Tasmania's medicinal cannabis access scheme stalls as doctors remain hesitant, sceptical - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Author: Tim Morgan
Contact: Contact Us - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Photo Credit: AusCann
Website: ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Since the scheme started on September 1 the Health Department has received just three applications from medical specialists with none yet approved.
Multiple sclerosis sufferer Robyn Butterworth told the ABC she asked her specialist to apply for approval from the department but was denied.
"Even after the first of September when it became legal for him to prescribe, he still has refused because he is still saying there is not enough research for him."
The 61-year-old has suffered from MS for the past 20 years but only started using medicinal cannabis in 2007, after suffering side-effects from using several prescription drugs.
"It made me feel nauseous, it made me feel quite sick in the stomach, it didn't ease the spasms, it dried my mouth out," she said.
"I couldn't speak, I couldn't chew, I couldn't swallow — it was really quite awful, a horrible experience."
Miss Butterworth said it was much better treating the symptoms of MS once she started using medicinal cannabis.
"My whole life has changed, my quality of life has improved out of sight," she said.
"It alleviates the pain really well, it takes it down to a tolerable level and eventually it will go away.
"The problem is no one is prepared to prescribe it at all and what I'm using is the black market."
'No one knows how to access the scheme'
The ABC understands just one specialist has so far been prepared to apply for the controlled access scheme, with the paperwork taking three to four hours to complete per patient.
GPs have also been hesitant to refer patients to a relevant medical specialist, as required as part of the procedures.
One woman receiving palliative care for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an irreversible lung condition that causes asthma-like symptoms, started using cannabis two years ago to assist her breathing and was initially hopeful of being referred by her doctor.
"I haven't been able to access the scheme because there is no one who really knows how to access it.
"All this should have been sorted out before the Government put this thing in place."
'Unified national approach needed'
Dr Bastian Seidel of the Royal College of General Practitioners said such anecdotes were not surprising as patients and GPs remain confused over how the scheme works.
"There has been limited information from the Tasmanian Government and the Tasmanian Health Service as to how patients can be referred," he said.
"It really is quite difficult for GPs to refer to the appropriate organization or the appropriate hospital specialist.
Dr Seidel suggested a unified national approach was needed to fix the problem.
"What we are currently seeing is that individual states are dreaming up their own schemes — you know, putting some amount of funding in there, [and] putting a lot expectations out there on patients and on practitioners," he said.
"What we are seeing is the patients that potentially would benefit from medicinal cannabis still don't get it and practitioners who would like to prescribe it still are not able to prescribe it."
There is currently no timeline on a decision regarding the pending applications before the Health and Human Services Department.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Tasmania's medicinal cannabis access scheme stalls as doctors remain hesitant, sceptical - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Author: Tim Morgan
Contact: Contact Us - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Photo Credit: AusCann
Website: ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
