Two stories via Cannabiz this morning that illustrate what a clusterfuck the Australian medical cannabis market is
To precis, a new outfit called CA Clinics are offering virtual. medical cannabis prescriptions.
Is it dodgy who knows?
But we’d suggest no more dodgy than any of the other providers in the “industry” who are minting money at the moment from consumers (oops “patients”) who have little or no control over what product they get from who at what price.
It appears that CA Clinics are going down like a lead balloon with Australia’s two medicinal cannabis industry bodies.
Cannabiz write
Australia’s two medicinal cannabis industry bodies have expressed concerns over a new online ordering service launched by CA Clinics this week, with MCIA raising the issue with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
However, MCIA chair Peter Crock told Cannabiz its board members were not convinced the service operates within the spirit of the TGA’s scheduling changes nor forthcoming changes to compounding rules which will see medical practitioners and pharmacists requiring Special Access Scheme approval to extemporaneously compound cannabis medicines.
“We continue to be concerned about practices that may not be in the best interests of patients, and potentially put the industry’s reputation at risk,” Crock said.
So let’s look at who heads up this impartial body the MCIA who have immediately got on the phone to their mates at the TGA
Sorry….. but they are taking the fucking piss.. they just don’t like the idea of competition
CHAIR
Peter Crock
CEO – Cann Group Limited, Chair – Medicinal Cannabis Industry Australia
Drawing on nearly three decades experience at global agribusiness Nufarm (ASX: NUF), and as the founding Chairman of MCIA, Cann Group’s CEO Peter Crock is shaping the future of the medicinal cannabis industry in Australia. With Peter at the helm and working closely with an experienced board of directors, Cann Group (ASX: CAN) received the first commercial cultivation licence in Australia, and was the first medicinal cannabis company to successfully list via an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), raising AUD$13.5 million.
To accelerate its growth, Cann Group has completed subsequent capital raisings totalling more than AUD$125m, which has enabled the advancement of its’ most ambitious project to date; a controlled environment, automated production facility which will be capable of producing up to 70,000kg of medicinal cannabis products per year when at full capacity.
With deep knowledge and experience in the areas of marketing, business and technology development, as well as mergers and acquisitions, Peter has overseen the growth and advancement of Cann Group.
In chairing the MCIA, Australia’s peak industry body for medicinal cannabis, Peter is well versed in the management of regulatory framework in both Australia, and abroad.
DIRECTORS
Rodney Cocks
CEO & Executive Director Cronos Australia
Rodney Cocks is an Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Cronos Australia. Rodney is a Director of NewSouthern Capital, a private equity firm he co-founded which undertakes business in the real estate, cannabis and digital sectors. Prior to Cronos Australia, he was on the Senior Leadership Team at Linfox and was a Consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. Rodney also served on the Counter Narcotics Team of the British Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan and with the United Nations in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Iraq. He started his career as an Infantry Officer in the Australian Army. Rodney holds a BComm from the University of Melbourne, LLB from the Queensland University of Technology, MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Royal Military College, Duntroon. He is an admitted Lawyer to the Supreme Court of New South Wales and was also a Fellow at Harvard University and the 2005 Victorian Australian of the Year. In 2003 Rodney was awarded a Conspicuous Service Medal for his actions in the aftermath of the 2002 Bali bombings.
Russell Harding
Executive Chairman & CEO MedReleaf Australia
Russell co-founded MedReleaf Australia with Nathan Davis in 2016 as a privately owned medicinal cannabis company.
He has 35 years success in pharmacy business ownership, management and innovation combined with experience in a number of other fields including pharmacy wholesaling to an 80 member group of pharmacist proprietors, property development, business mentoring, medical centre management and semi-professional sports coaching as an accredited AFLQ senior coach.
Elisabetta Faenza MAICD
CEO LeafCann Group
Elisabetta is an expert in relationship management, optimising individual, organisational and societal outcomes, facilitating collaboration and fundraising through win-win relationships. As Co-Founder and CEO of LeafCann Group, Elisabetta has driven the organisation’s strategic positioning as an industry leader. With her core team Elisabetta has expertly laid the groundwork for product development, acquiring critical infrastructure, and developing patenting, licensing and certification pathways. This has positioned LeafCann as a future operational centre of excellence for the emergent Medicinal Cannabis sector in Australasia and Europe.
Elisabetta is a Clinical Hypnotherapist and consultant hypnotherapist to medical and allied health practices including; pain management specialists, physiotherapists, and dentists. Elisabetta has extensive experience as a strategic planner and relationship manager for transnationals and NGOs in the health and regenerative agriculture sectors. Her experience in project planning, strategic partnerships and fundraising has allowed her to identify key strategic partners and negotiate joint venture agreements both nationally and internationally.
Source: https://mcia.org.au/mcia-board-member-representatives/
Here’s the CA Clinics launch story the press release via Cannabiz
CA Clinics has launched a new online service offering “fast and simple access to low-dose CBD without sacrificing personalised patient care”.
CA Connect users go through a virtual consult, a phone consultation with a cannabis practitioner and receive free follow-ups every two weeks.
They can choose from three care plans offering 15+ days of medication based on trial dosing (A$119), 30+ days ($199) or a $359, 30+ days option for patients who have titrated to the maximum daily dose of 150mg.
It is unclear whether patients who titrate up to a dose less than 150mg per day will be charged the same amount as someone taking the maximum dose.
A CA Connect spokesperson told Cannabiz: “Patients can select from three care plans. Maximum dosage is 150mg per day. Patients will titrate up their dose in accordance with prescribed instructions.”
There is a $59 processing fee if patients want to send their prescription to a pharmacy of their choice and CA Connect may receive a Medicare payment where applicable.
The company said the service gives patients access to low-dose CBD oil at a competitive price via a streamlined online ordering system with fast, direct-to-patient delivery.
While low-dose CBD is legal for sale over-the-counter without a prescription, there are currently no such products listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and available for purchase in pharmacies.
CA Connect said it is hoping to fill that gap by prescribing Australian-compliant, GMP-certified CBD products that may be compounded or branded.
