11:59 am today

Medical Council investigating complaints over prescribing medicinal cannabis

11:59 am today
Doctor writing on prescription blank and bottle with medical cannabis on table close up

Photo: 123RF

The Medical Council is concerned doctors working at medicinal cannabis clinics may not be following proper medical practices.

The council said it was investigating complaints made by patients, their families, and other medical professionals about doctors prescribing cannabis.

Medical Council chair Dr Rachelle Love said the complaints included instances of patients not being fully informed about the ongoing costs and side-effects of cannabis.

She said there had also been significant communication issues with doctors prescribing cannabis not feeding information back to a patient's other health providers including GPs and psychiatrists.

"Best practice would be full communciation so a team can be around a patient and help them with their health chocies and decisions that need to be made," Love told Nine to Noon.

She said it could be harder for doctors at businesses set up to dispense cannabis to thoroughly assess patients.

"Good medical practice generally involves talking a patient through all their available options which might include non-medicinal options and other medicines.

"With cannabis clinics, it appears that they are largely set up so a patient goes to them to seek cannabis and all of the available options are not necessarily discussed and full informed consent has not gone through."

She said there was currently no regulatory body overseeing cannabis clinics and doctors who worked at them need to be supported to deliver safe care.

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