Health Cnsumers Queensland submissin Inquiry int Public Health (Medicinal Cannabis) Bill 2016 Queensland Parliament Health, Cmmunities, Disability Services and Family Vilence Preventin Cmmittee Cntact: Melissa Fx General Manager melissa.fx@hcq.rg.au
Health Cnsumers Queensland submissin/ Public Health (Medicinal Cannabis) Bill 2016 2 Abut us Health Cnsumers Queensland is the peak rganisatin representing the interests f health cnsumers and carers in the state. Health Cnsumers Queensland is a nt-fr-prfit rganisatin and a registered health prmtin charity and we believe in imprving health utcmes fr peple in Queensland. Cnsumers are peple wh use, r are ptential users, f health services including their family and carers. Cnsumers may participate as individuals, grups, rganizatins f cnsumers, cnsumer representatives r cmmunities. Our pririty fcus is n cnsumer engagement that influences and leads imprvements and delivers better health utcmes fr all Queenslanders. We achieve this thrugh ur Queensland-wide health cnsumer netwrk, tailred training and skills develpment prgrams, and maximising pprtunities fr cnsumer representatin at all levels f the health system. Cnsumer engagement is when health cnsumers actively participate in their wn healthcare and in health plicy, planning, service delivery and evaluatin at service and agency levels.
Health Cnsumers Queensland submissin/ Public Health (Medicinal Cannabis) Bill 2016 3 Recmmendatins 1. That medicinal cannabis trials be supprted by the Queensland Gvernment and delivered in a timely and equitable manner. 2. Regulatin must be based upn principles f access, affrdability and safety. 3. Access must be ensured regardless f where in the State that Queenslanders live and which health prfessinals frm which they can receive care/prducts. 4. Apprvals, administrative and lgistical prcesses must be streamlined and timely. 5. Affrdable access t prducts be ensured thrugh cmpassinate access frm a manufacturer, PBS listing (r State Gvernment subsidy in the absence f these). 6. Cnsideratin be given t the needs f cnsumers/families wishing t use prducts which are nt likely t be eligible fr TGA apprval ie. testing services and sme frm f legal prtectin. 7. Rbust data cllectin systems are created t capture the benefits and therwise f all medicinal cannabis prducts. Backgrund In Nvember last year, Health Cnsumers Queensland was asked t represent the interests f Queensland health cnsumers and families n the Medicinal Cannabis Trials Clinical Steering Cmmittee (MCSC). Health Cnsumers Queensland has welcmed the pprtunity t input int this prcess, with ur gal fr trials t be rlled ut in a timely and equitable manner. On 10 May 2016 the Hn. Camern Dick, Member fr Wdridge and Minister fr Health and Minister fr Ambulance Services intrduced the Public Health (Medicinal Cannabis) Bill 2016 int the Queensland Parliament. 1 The plicy bjective f the Bill is t create a new regulatry framewrk under which medicinal cannabis prducts may be prescribed and dispensed t patients in Queensland while als preventing their unauthrised use. 1 Minister s speech intrducing the Bill int the Queensland Parliament http://www.parliament.qld.gv.au/dcuments/tableoffice/billmaterial/160510/cannabis.pdf
Health Cnsumers Queensland submissin/ Public Health (Medicinal Cannabis) Bill 2016 4 Access, affrdability and safety Health Cnsumers Queensland is cmmitted t quality, safe, affrdable, timely and accessible services that delivery the right care, at the right time and the right place. As such, the regulatry framewrk in Queensland fr access t medicinal cannabis must ensure prducts are: Accessible: Access must be ensured regardless f where in the State Queenslanders may live and which health prfessinals frm which they can receive care/prducts. We welcme the prpsal under the Bill t facilitate access t medicinal cannabis prducts by thse cnsumers wh are nt taking part in clinical trials. This access must be cnsidered in a framewrk that balances safety with cmpassin and pragmatism. The ptential harms must be weighed up against the cnsumer s current quality f life, whether previus use f ther pharmaceutical prducts have brught symptmatic relief, at what cst t quality f life due t side effects and the current evidence base fr the efficacy f the medicinal cannabis prduct. Apprvals, administrative and lgistical prcesses must be streamlined and timely. We hpe this aim will be further supprted by the federal re-scheduling f medicinal cannabis frm S9 t S8 twards the end f 2016/beginning f 2017. Affrdable The gal f this Bill is t increase access t medicinal cannabis, therefre cst cannt be allwed t becme a burden t thse families with members wh have chrnic cnditins wh already bear the weight f ut-f-pcket csts whilst being unable t participate fully in emplyment. Affrdable access befre r after a trial setting shuld either be thrugh cmpassinate access t the prducts by the manufacturer until such time as the prduct is subsidised n the PBS, r funded by the State Gvernment. Cnsumers wishing t gain the benefits f a prduct utside f a trial setting shuld be assisted thrugh a Queensland Gvernment subsidy scheme similar t that in Victria.
Health Cnsumers Queensland submissin/ Public Health (Medicinal Cannabis) Bill 2016 5 Safe We appreciate the Minister s cncerns t prtect Queenslanders, as stipulated in his speech t Parliament in May: Unregulated therapeutic use f cannabis raises serius cncerns, because the prduct used may have unknwn cncentratins f cannabinids and may als cntain ptentially harmful cntaminants. As such, the Queensland Gvernment has decided t establish a tightly cntrlled regulatry framewrk allwing medicinal cannabis t be used where the ptential benefits appear t utweigh the risks f unwanted side effects. Hwever there are a grup f cnsumers (including parents f sick children) wh we understand wish t use prducts which are nt likely t be eligible fr TGA apprval, and therefre will nt be able t use these prducts legally under the prpsed Queensland bill. Whilst appreciating the regulatry/ legislative challenge this pses t the Queensland Gvernment, we d ask the cmmittee t cnsider hw these families may be able t access testing services and gain sme frm f legal prtectin t use these prducts if trial/tga apprved prducts are nt accessible, efficacius r affrdable. Funding must be prvided t gather clinical data frm use amngst Queensland cnsumers f the benefits and therwise f all medicinal cannabis prducts. Cnclusin In cnclusin, Health Cnsumers Queensland applauds the Queensland Gvernment fr listening t cnsumers and families, and fr seeking t facilitate access t these prducts where they may be f benefit.