Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt pushes streamlined approval process for medicinal cannabis

SICK Victorians who need medicinal cannabis would be able to get access online within 48 hours under a federal government plan to slash red tape on the radical treatment.

SICK Victorians who need medicinal cannabis would be able to get access within 48 hours under a federal government plan to slash red tape on the radical treatment.

Patients currently have to apply to both state and federal authorities if their doctors recommend they use medicinal cannabis to help deal with their illnesses.

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But the Herald Sun can reveal federal health minister Greg Hunt wants the states to scrap their approval processes for unregistered versions of the drug.

At a meeting of health ministers this Friday, it is believed he will ask that the states allow the federal Therapeutic Goods Administration to manage a single streamlined process for all medicinal cannabis products.

Health Minister Greg Hunt. Picture: Ben Rushton/AAP

This would mean doctors could help their patients fill out a simple online form to request access to a treatment, which would then be approved within two days.

Patients and doctors have complained that making separate applications for permission to the TGA and state authorities is an unnecessary duplication often made worse by lengthy delays for approval.

There have also been issues with state and federal authorities giving conflicting advice.

The Council of Australian Governments health council will consider the proposal on Friday after Mr Hunt struck a deal last month for the system to be put in place in New South Wales, where it is operational.

“This approach by NSW to cut red tape and remove barriers is a template for other states to follow,” Mr Hunt said at the time.

“Strong safeguards remain in place to access medicinal cannabis, but this move ends a duplication of regulatory requirements.

“It means NSW will have one of the quickest pipelines to appropriate medical access.”

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