Ahpra and the Medical, Nursing and Midwifery and Pharmacy Boards of Australia issued a joint statement in June 2024 on Professional responsibilities for prescribing and dispensing medicines. 

This statement has been issued in the context of emerging health service models that are disrupting the traditional therapeutic relationship between a patient and their practitioner enabling the rapid rise in the prescription and use of specific medicines or products. Some of these models are focussed on delivering a single treatment solely in response to patient demand (e.g. medicinal cannabis) which often have a high volume of telemedicine consultations and/or computer or algorithm-based prescribing of medicines. 

In line with the College Clinical Memorandum on the Therapeutic use of medicinal cannabis, psychiatrists are reminded that they should take the decision to prescribe carefully and cautiously taking into account evidence for safety, quality and efficacy. Principles of good prescribing practice should be adhered to and prescribing of medicinal cannabis products should only be done in a therapeutic environment.

The College is aware of the increasing concern around the inappropriate prescribing of medicinal cannabis products, and has met with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia to discuss these. The College is also represented on the Medicinal Cannabis Expert Working Group. Meeting communiques summarising each meeting are available on the Office of Drug Control website, available at Medicinal Cannabis Expert Working Group (MCEWG).

Members in Aotearoa New Zealand are reminded of their prescribing responsibilities which are outlined in the Medical Board of New Zealand Guidance Good prescribing practice, released in February 2024.  

For further information or queries please contact policy@ranzcp.org