Patient FAQs

Medicinal cannabis is a legal treatment in Australia as a prescription medicine.

TGA advises that cannabis is not a first line treatment; it can only be used after standard treatments have been unsuccessful or have caused unacceptable adverse effects, except in the case of patients in palliative care.

Clinical studies are being conducted on the use of medicinal cannabis to treat a variety of medical conditions. They include but are not limited to the following indications:

  • chronic pain
  • anxiety
  • inflammatory condition
  • insomnia
  • neuropathic pain
  • multiple sclerosis
  • epilepsy
  • palliative care indications
  • cancer pain
  • anorexia and wasting associated with chronic illness (such as cancer)
  • epilepsy
  • chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
  • tranquilizing/psychosis management
  • spasticity from neurological conditions

In general, products may cost approximately $5 to $10 per day on average in Australia, depending on the amount prescribed and pharmacy dispensing fee.

Reference: FreshLeaf Analytics Q3 2019 Australian Medicinal Cannabis Market Report - Patient, Product and Pricing Analysis

Regrettably, subsidies are not available for unregistered medicinal cannabis products through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme at this time. Certain private health insurance funds cover non-PBS pharmaceuticals. Please contact your private health fund to check if unregistered medicinal cannabis products are covered.

Xativa® is an unregistered prescription medication available through the Special Access (SAS-B) or Authorised Prescriber (AP) Schemes in Australia. Access to these products requires TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) approval for individual patients (SAS-B) or classes of patients (AP).

Here’s step by step guide on how to access medicinal cannabis in Australia:

Step 1: Doctor Consultation

The first step is for patients to see their usual treating doctor, GP or specialist. Your doctor must be an Australian-registered medical practitioner and should have a good understanding of your medical condition(s) and access to your medical records.

Our Xativa® Hub directory provides a list of doctors who are familiar with our product. Their location and contact details are provided with their consent so that you may contact them for the purposes of patient access enquiries for medicinal cannabis. This directory is only accessible to registered and verified user accounts.

Step 2: Product Consideration

It is the responsibility of the doctor to research and compare products to decide if cannabinoid therapy is suitable for their patients. TGA applications under SAS-B or AP for unregistered medicinal cannabis require documentation confirming the product meets the safety and quality requirements set out in Therapeutic Goods Order No 93 (TGO93). Xativa® meets these requirements.

Any specific product information, including pricing is available only to registered healthcare professionals in Australia. Your doctor or pharmacist can send product enquiries through:

Step 3: Federal & State Application for Prescription

With the patient’s consent, practitioners can apply for federal and state approval (requirements differ between states) for a medicinal cannabis prescription.

The application must include the following information:

  • Patient’s medical condition and relevant medical history,
  • Documentation outlining medications previously taken unsuccessfully
  • A treatment plan and monitoring plan.

Who can apply?

This varies depending on the state/territory. Currently in all states except Tasmania, a GP can initiate an application.

A letter of support from a specialist is required for the following:

  • VIC: if the doctor is applying for an indication outside of their regular practice
  • WA: for prescribing to patients younger than 16 years of age and those with a history of drug dependence
  • ACT: all GPs

Step 4: Patient access (subject to Federal and State approvals as required)

Upon receipt of approval from both TGA and State Health Department (for Tasmania only for Schedule 4 medicinal cannabis products), the script together with the approval(s) will need to be sent, by either the doctor or patient, to a pharmacy. The pharmacy can place orders for products to wholesalers or distributors with reference to the approved script.

A pharmacist can only dispense product to a patient upon receipt of an original prescription and a copy of the relevant TGA and State Health approval(s).

We also have a Directory Page with doctor and pharmacist contact information (this page is accessible only to registered and verified user accounts). You may contact these clinics and pharmacies for product access enquiries.

If travelling domestically within Australia

You can travel with medicinal cannabis but ensure you do the following:

  • Keep your product in its original packaging
  • Attach a copy of your prescription which shows the amount of medicinal cannabis your physician has prescribed
  • Attach a copy of our TGA approval which shows your unique SAS identification number

If travelling internationally outside Australia

You can travel with medicinal cannabis but ensure you do the following:

The Office of Drug Control recommends that all Australians who are planning to travel overseas with medication follow the same advice given for travellers entering Australia under the traveller’s exemption. Visit https://www.odc.gov.au/travellers for more information

It is absolutely critical to check each country’s legislation before you travel. If you are carrying medicinal cannabis on a plane but you are unaware of the legislation of your destination country, it is recommended you leave your product on the plane. Most countries have very strict rules regarding certain types of medications being brought into their country. Cannabis is still illegal in most countries.

Healthcare Practitioner FAQs

As a registered medical doctor in Australia you are eligible to prescribe unregistered medicinal cannabis to your patients so long as you do not fall into the following category:

In addition, a letter of support from a specialist is required for the following:

  • VIC: if the doctor is applying for an indication outside of their regular practice
  • WA: for prescribing to patients younger than 16 years of age and those with a history of drug dependence
  • ACT: all GPs

Unregistered medicinal cannabis supply is available through the Special Access (SAS-B) or Authorised Prescriber (AP) Schemes in Australia. Access to these products requires TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) approval for individual patients (SAS-B) or classes of patients (AP).

Once your application is submitted, TGA approval generally takes up to 48 hours.

When granted approval, you will be able to access a PDF attachment containing 1) TGA SAS-B approval and 2) State approval (where applicable)

Once the approval(s) are received, you can write a prescription:

  • Hand-write TGA approval number, patient contact number and titration schedule on the script
  • Scripts must contain dosing schedule
  1. Give the patient a copy of their: (a) TGA approval and (b) script (include TGA approval number, patient's contact number and titration schedule on the script)
  2. The patient takes these documents to their pharmacy of choice.
  3. The pharmacy provides the supplier with: (a) a copy of the TGA approval and (b) an order for the medication to fill the script.
  4. The supplier dispatches the medication to the pharmacy.
  5. When the medication arrives at the pharmacy, the pharmacy contacts the patient for dispensing.

A scanned copy of the corresponding TGA approval letter (SAS-B or AP) must be provided when placing an order.

Firstly, please ensure you have received an original copy of the doctor prescription, and a scanned copy of the TGA approval letter (SAS-B approval or Authorised Prescriber).

Visit our order form page to place an order (this order form is accessible only to registered & verified doctor and pharmacist accounts). 

  • Input quantity to be ordered based on the approved prescription.
  • Please upload a copy of the TGA approval (and for Tasmania only: State Health approval) for our verification purposes.
  • Once your order is received and verified, we will pack and ship together with the invoice from our warehouse facility in Victoria.

We may contact you by the phone number or email address details you have provided in your Pharmacist profile on the Xativa hub as required regarding your order.

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