Approvals through the Special Access Scheme held steady in July with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) rubber-stamping 17,866 medicinal cannabis applications, marginally up on June’s figure.
Category five medicine, containing at least 98% THC, accounted for 9,565 (54%) of approvals, while the regulator sanctioned 3,101 category one (more than 98% CBD) applications, 17% of the total.
Turning to dosage forms, oil and flower were neck and neck in July, with the former accounting for 43% of approvals compared to 42% for the latter. Inhalation came next on 9% followed by pastilles on 3%.
There remained clear dosage preferences among men and women, who made up 58% and 42% of patients respectively. Of the 10,379 prescriptions approved for men, 46% were for flower and 39% for oil, compared to 36% and 49% for women.
Combined, and across all demographics, chronic pain was again the most common indication treated with medicinal cannabis, responsible for 39% of scripts, followed by anxiety on 32%.
Geographically, Victoria continued to lead the way, generating 45% of approvals, followed by Queensland with 29%, and New South Wales with 22%.
In total, 983 prescribers submitted medicinal cannabis applications to the TGA in July.
