Medical Cannabis

Service Description

In New South Wales (NSW), dispensing medicinal cannabis requires a valid prescription for an authorized product and adherence to strict regulations for Schedule 8 (S8) medicines. Pharmacists must verify the prescriber's authority, report any fraudulent prescriptions, and retain dispensed prescriptions. They cannot stock unregistered cannabis products unless approved for a specific patient by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Schedule 4 (S4) products, such as certain cannabidiol (CBD) preparations, have less strict requirements. Key Provisions for Pharmacists: • Valid Prescription: A pharmacist can dispense medicinal cannabis only with a valid, written prescription from an authorized prescriber. • Prescriber Verification: The pharmacist must verify the prescriber's identity and ensure they hold the appropriate TGA or Special Access Scheme (SAS) approval to prescribe the specific medicinal cannabis product. • Record Keeping: Prescriptions must be retained, and all supplied medicinal cannabis products must be recorded in the pharmacy's drug register. • Stocking Unregistered Medicines: A pharmacy cannot hold stock of any unregistered cannabis product in anticipation of a prescription. • Emergency Supply: Emergency supply provisions do not apply to unregistered Schedule 8 medicines. Different Schedules of Cannabis Medicines: • Schedule 4 (S4) Cannabidiol: CBD (cannabidiol) products that are at least 98% CBD and 2% or less of other cannabinoids are S4 medicines. They have fewer dispensing requirements than S8 medicines. • Schedule 8 (S8) Cannabis Medicines: These require strict compliance with S8 dispensing rules. For extemporaneously compounded S8 cannabis medicines, a prior written approval number from NSW Health must be included on the prescription. Important Considerations: • No Product Substitution: If a prescribed cannabis product is unavailable, a pharmacist cannot substitute it with a different product, even if it's an unregistered Schedule 8 medicine. A new prescription specifying the available product is required. A pharmacy can only hold stock of a medicinal cannabis product approved by the TGA for supply to a specific patient. • Fitness to Drive: Patients using medicinal cannabis, particularly products with THC, should not drive or operate machinery, as it can affect cognitive and motor skills and may lead to a positive roadside drug test.