Medicinal cannabis regulations for vets
Navigating the landscape of medicinal cannabis in veterinary medicine can appear complex, especially with evolving regulations and growing interest in its therapeutic potential.
In Australia, the use, prescription, and distribution of medicinal cannabis for animals is governed by specific guidelines and regulations. These are often written in the type of language where you’re left more confused after reading it than you were before.
We aim to simplify things.
Question 1
Can vets legally prescribe medicinal cannabis?
Yes. Medicinal cannabis is legally allowed to be prescribed by vets. But not all medicinal cannabis is okay.
Vet can prescribe Schedule 4 cannabinoid medicines (>98% CBD) products following AVA guidelines.
The rules
Historical background
Regulatory bodies
Medicinal cannabis in Australia falls under the jurisdiction of several regulatory bodies.
Primary body: Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Secondary bodies: Pharmacy Board of Australia, Health Practitioner Regulations, state health departments, and Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).
There are no veterinary medicines containing medicinal cannabis registered with the APVMA (as yet). Compounded medicines cannot be registered by the APVMA. Vets are allowed to prescribe unregistered medicinal cannabis (which is still regulated). All unregistered medicinal cannabis products in Australia must be written as a private prescription.
Veterinary prescribing rights in Australia are governed by the Australian Veterinary Association. For detailed guidelines regarding the prescription of medicinal products, including medicinal cannabis, refer to the guidelines.
See also the AVA’s policy on medicinal cannabis.
TGA cannabis product categories (based on cannabinoid content)
The TGA identifies five cannabis product categories based on cannabinoid content.
Category 1: CBD ≥ 98% (Schedule 4 Prescription Only)
Category 2: CBD ≥ 60% and < 98% (Schedule 8 Controlled Drugs)
Category 3: CBD <60% and ≥ 40% (Schedule 8 Controlled Drugs)
Category 4: THC 60% - 98% (Schedule 8 Controlled Drugs)
Category 5: THC >98% (Schedule 8 Controlled Drugs)
Vets are only allowed to prescribe Category 1 products.
Prescription and licensing
Schedule 4 (S4) and Schedule 8 (S8) dictate the conditions under which medicinal cannabis products can be prescribed and accessed.
Schedule 4 cannabidiol (CBD-Dominant) must be prescribed via a pharmacy.
Schedule 8 Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products are restricted to humans only.
Vets are only allowed to prescribe S4 medicinal cannabis. The only products available for veterinary patients are unregistered.
All unregistered medicinal cannabis products require a private prescription in Australia.
The extemporaneous compounding pathway provides access to medicinal cannabis for veterinary patients.
Private prescriptions for compounded products should indicate they are "compounded" and detail the strength, delivery form, and quantity.
Extemporaneous compounding
Extemporaneous compounding refers to the pharmaceutical practice of individually measuring, preparing, mixing, assembling, packaging, and labelling a medication according to a specific prescription for a particular patient.
This process allows for the creation of a medicinal product that is tailored to the unique needs of an individual patient, whether human or animal.
The extemporaneous compounding pathway provides an avenue for improved accessibility to certain medicines, including cannabinoid medicines. This pathway is especially valuable when commercial product alternatives are unavailable, inappropriate, or when a specific dose, strength, or formulation is required based on individual needs.
Compounded products, while not regulated by the TGA or APVMA, must meet quality standards outlined by the Pharmacy Board of Australia and other governing bodies.
A brief timeline:
2016: Federal Narcotic Drugs Act 1967 amended to decriminalise the use and supply of medicinal cannabis.
2017: Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) rescheduled medicinal cannabis products allowing legal prescription in Australia.
late 2017: Extemporaneous compounding became a legal pathway to access cannabis medicines, including for animals.
2021: TGA rescheduled low-dose CBD products, allowing up to 150mg/day for adult use without a prescription.