The Emerging Therapeutics Association of Australia (ETAA) is seeking a meeting with the new Labor government as soon as possible to advocate for the sector.
Welcoming incoming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his ministers, the new trade body said it looked forward “to realising Australia’s enormous potential in the emerging therapeutics sector and supporting patient access to new medical cannabis treatments in a variety of contexts”.
Chairman Guy Headley added: “We will be advocating for regular industry consultation with the government to ensure the regulatory processes governing patient access to medical cannabis therapies are fit-for-purpose.
“Australia has many advantages which point to continued growth for the medicinal cannabis sector and improved patient access, but there are significant industry challenges including equitable and affordable access to treatment, supply chain inefficiency, and regulatory consistency.”
“The ETAA will work with the new Albanese Government and parliamentarians from across the political spectrum to advance systemic improvements to the emerging therapeutics industry.”
The ETAA said it will seek to meet with the Albanese Government at the earliest opportunity to advocate for:
- Supply chain efficiency, transparency and strict control that generates confidence in the industry, while facilitating access to suitable treatments to meet increasing demand.
- Regulatory consistency.
- Patient and prescriber education.
Headley thanked outgoing ministers Greg Hunt (health and aged care) and David Gillespie (regional health) as well as Therapeutic Goods Administration boss John Skerritt for their positive working relationships with the industry in the previous parliament.
