Industry Experts Discuss the Types of Medicinal Cannabis Products Available in Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia, April 14, 2023 (Newswire.com) - According to Levin Health, a company conducting research into medicinal cannabis Melbourne and Australia-wide, only two medical cannabis products are currently registered with the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA)¹. 

As of Dec. 31, 2022, there were 371 unapproved medicinal products available². They're grouped across five categories, which are determined by the levels of cannabidiol content products contain.

The only way to access unapproved products is via special access pathways. In other words, a doctor with approval from the TGA can access products for patients, where clinically appropriate. 

Levin Health explains that, under the Special Access Scheme (SAS)³, health practitioners can prescribe a number of types of medicinal cannabis. This includes capsules, edibles, creams, crystals, flowers, oro-mucosal sprays, tinctures, wafers, vapes and CBD oil Australia-wide.

The different types of products have different onset, effect, and impairment windows. These factors - along with an understanding of the patient's health, symptoms, and lifestyle - determine the type of medicinal cannabis product that is prescribed.

Medicinal cannabis products can take three main forms: isolate, full-spectrum and broad-spectrum. These terms describe the compound makeup within products. Isolated products contain isolated cannabinoids (i.e. just CBD or THC), full-spectrum products contain a variety of components of the cannabis plant plus CBD and THC, while broad-spectrum products contain a variety of components including CBD, with no THC present.

Since medicinal cannabis products are unregistered and brought to the market by independent companies (through both local cultivation and international imports), quality can vary. Levin Health recommends requesting a certificate of analysis⁴ from the manufacturer. This will provide details about the cannabinoid content and any impurities within the product.

Because cannabis works differently for everyone, the best (and only) route to treatment is to speak to a doctor, who can advise on the most suitable medical marijuana Australia-wide.

About Levin Health

Levin Health is an Australian sports science company focused on researching, developing and commercialising a range of medicinal cannabis products initially for the treatment of pain, mental health disorders and sport-related ailments, to help people improve their lifestyle.

Sources:

1. ​​Therapeutic Goods Association
2. TGA - Medicinal Cannabis Products by Active Ingredients   
3. Special Access Scheme 
4. TGA - Guidance on quality requirements for medicinal cannabis products 

Source: Levin Health