Legal access pathways
The NSW Government is strongly committed to an evidence-based approach to the use of all medicines, including cannabis-based medicines. We continue to support appropriately qualified medical practitioners to access legal, safe and effective pharmaceutical-grade cannabis medicines where they consider this to be an appropriate treatment option for their patient. In NSW, any doctor can legally prescribe a cannabis medicine for a health condition if they believe it is an appropriate treatment option for their patient and they have obtained the relevant authorities. It is not necessary to be referred to a 'cannabis clinic'.
The Australian Government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) may approve the supply of unregistered cannabis medicines under the following pathways:
- a Clinical Trial
- the Authorised Prescriber Scheme
- the Special Access Scheme
Individual patients cannot apply for approval to import and access unapproved cannabis medicines. Access can only be arranged through an Australian registered medical practitioner with appropriate qualifications and/or expertise for the medical condition requiring treatment. Approval or authorisation is granted on a case-by-case basis.
