The Australian Medicinal Cannabis Association (AMCA) has matched Medicinal Cannabis Industry Australia’s (MCIA) $20,000 seed contribution to fund a response to the TGA consultation, effectively taking the total to its $100,000 target.
AMCA chair Dr Teresa Nicoletti told Cannabiz the decision was made at board level this week to match MCIA’s contribution, lifting the fund to around $95,000.
Additional company and individual donations – including $3,000 expected from Beacon Medical – is set to push it beyond six figures in the coming days.
“We went out to our membership and said ‘this is probably the most important consultation since legalisation, and we really need to put all our energy into it’,” Nicoletti said.
“That has made a difference. In the last week you can see on the GoFundMe page that donations have really started to tick over.”
The fund – announced a fortnight ago – was established to pool resources for a coordinated industry response to the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s consultation that will shape regulatory reform of medicinal cannabis.
MCIA chair Kristin Viccars described reaching the target in such a short timeframe as a “fantastic outcome”.
“It really shows the importance our members and donors have attached to making sure we have the best submission possible,” he said.
“With the resources now secured, we can engage the professional services needed to support the process – both through the consultation and beyond.”
Viccars added there had been no expectation for AMCA to match MCIA’s contribution.
The two boards are now considering how best to deploy the funds, with a joint member workshop held on Thursday to help shape the submission.
The GoFundMe campaign remains open until September 13, although organisers have not yet decided whether to extend the closing date or set a higher target.
Submissions to the consultation close on October 7.