Doctors campaign for medicinal cannabis subsidy for veteran

An Iraq war veteran is asking the DVA to help subsidise life saving medication instead of being treated with antipsychotic drugs.

Doctors representing an Iraq war veteran are campaigning for the former air force specialist to have his “life saving” medicinal cannabis subsidised instead of being treated with a cocktail of legal antipsychotic drugs.

air force veteran Derek Pyrah, who served in Iraq, had his application for DVA subsidies on medicinal cannabis knocked back last month. After nine years of treatment on a range of depression and anxiety medication, he discovered cannabis helped alleviate his symptoms.

Currently, the department only subsidises cannabis for pain – not PTSD.

Derek in the Middle East in 2003. Picture: supplied

The doctors’ submission to DVA contains Mr Pyrah’s medical history, studies into cannabis treating PTSD and how the drug would fit into the department’s framework.

“I present that in Derek’s case, the inclusion of medicinal cannabis has been the only treatment regime that has been safe and effective in managing his condition over the past 17 years,” a letter written by his GP Dr Matthew Moore said.

Dr Matthew Moore is campaigning DVA on behalf of Mr Pyrah. They are hopeful the department subsidies medicinal cannabis for the veteran.

“I assert that there is clear evidence to support that in Derek’s case, medicinal cannabis provides the best opportunity for Derek’s’ recovery, while improving his quality of life and reducing his risk of suicide.”

In their submission to DVA, obtained by The Daily Telegraph, Mr Pyrah’s psychiatrist Dr Irwin Pakula said there was “no risk” of medicinal cannabis worsening his suicidal ideation or mental health.

“I have undertaken a mental health assessment and risk assessment including a suicide assessment and I have determined that there is no risk from medical cannabis on his suicidal ideation or mental health,” the letter said.

“In my opinion, the use of medicinal cannabis will actually reduce his overall risk of suicide.”

Mr Pyrah’s first submission for DVA subsidies on medicinal cannabis was knocked back in February due to claims from the department’s chief health officer Professor Jenny Firman who said there was “insufficient high quality evidence” supporting medicinal cannabis as a treatment for PTSD.

“DVA’s assessment framework required all submissions to meet a range of criteria, including that the proposed treatment is supported by several high-quality scientific studies with very few of no credible opposing findings that it is effective in treating the condition,” she said.

This week, a DVA spokeswoman reiterated the point that the department is concerned about the drug’s quality, safety and treatment.

Before cannabis Mr Pyrah had been prescribed a cocktail of strong, addictive medications.

Since being hospitalised in 2006, Mr Pyrah had been prescribed, Effexor, Seroquel, Diazepam, Stilnox, Temazepam, Mirtazapine.

However none of the medications were as effective as cannabis in curtailing his symptoms.

Mr Pyrah told The Daily Telegraph the medication had been “life saving” and that he is now able to contribute to the community again.

Mr Pyrah with his girlfriend on NSW’s south coast.

His current GP Dr Matthew Moore said are concerns about the long-term effects of the medications he was initially prescribed.

“Benzodiazepines (which Mr Pyrah was prescribed) are dependent medication. They are probably the most addiction type. The fact that DVA and our governing bodies want people to take them before cannabis is ludacris,” he said.

“Cannabis has a low dependency, it is not a gateway drug.”

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners addiction specialist Dr Hester Wilson while the jury is out on the effectiveness of cannabis she said it is clear in Derek’s case the lifestyle balance is much better.

“I would much prefer for someone to be accessing legal cannabis than getting it illegally,” she said.

“In this young man’s case he was really, really unwell and there are proven negative long term effects of benzodiazepines. By using cannabis it has allowed him to access talking therapy which has been proven to help with PTSD.

“What we can do, as practitioners, is assist our patients as much as possible. Cannabis is a much lower risk than the large number of sedating medications he was taking.”