Frequently Asked Questions
You are eligible if previous treatment or medication options for your condition have failed. Medicinal Cannabis can be used in all age groups, including children. Medicinal Cannabis is not considered a first line medication and therefore you would have had to be diagnosed with a condition for which previous medication or treatment options have failed. This circumstance would make you eligible to apply for approval which is granted by the Australian Government. PlantMed assists our patients with all stages of the application process.
There are two appointments within PlantMed to commence treatment. You will spend the first 45 minutes going over full health history, Medication selection and cannabis education. Your doctor will use the last 15 minutes to complete SAS B Application forms for up to three medications depending on your condition and your PlantMed doctors discretion.
Your approval will be back within 7 days where we book you for your final appointment for titration and dosing. Titration and dosing will be 30 minutes to go over your official approval paperwork, sign official paperwork and discuss the dosing of your medication stepping up weekly over 6 weeks until we reach symptom relief. Your script will then be sent to dispense or a pharmacy of your choice and you will commence treatment.
Yes, we service all states of Australia. Skype, Zoom or telehealth consults can be easily arranged or check out one of our satellite locations for your PlantMed appointment.
No, PlantMed and our doctors are not affiliated with, or paid by any pharmaceutical company.
PlantMed has access to, and can prescribe all Medicinal Cannabis treatment options approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). All external academic and professional Medical advisory positions held by our doctors are volunteer roles to help advance medical research and evidence-based medical practice within the Medicinal Cannabis industry.
There are many forms of cannabis medications. Typically Medicinal Cannabis oral/ submucosal liquids (drops applied under the tongue) are used however there are also tablets, capsules, sprays, and vaporisations available depending on the ailment, patient age and patient preference.
Application times vary depending on complexity of application, however we generally allow 7-14 days for Governmental approval to be granted.
The initial consultation with your PlantMed Doctor is very important and thorough and therefore takes approximately one hour hours.
Initial consultation: approximately 1 – 1.5 hours
Follow-up appointment/Reapplication for ongoing Governmental approval (Special Access Scheme-SAS-B)/Medication adjustment based on response: approximately 30 minutes
Monthly prescription repeat with detailed review of treatment response, adjustment (titration) of dose to minimise unwanted side-effects: approximately 15 minutes
Reapplication for continued Approval (Special Access Scheme-SAS-B) or Change of Medication Application: approximately 30 hour.
Please note: All follow-up appointments involve conventional medication supervised dose adjustment to achieve the minimum effective dose of Medicine Cannabis required to relieve symptoms while minimising side-effects. At PlantMed, medical attention is also given to improving the functioning of the patient’s natural Endocannabinoid System (ECS).
This helps maximise the response to the Medicinal Cannabis which means the dose of Medicinal Cannabis required to relieve symptoms can be kept as low as possible. This reduces the risk of side-effects, reduced the cost of the medication and enhances patient well–being and quality of life.
Follow-up consultations are also extremely important to provide opportunities for patients to develop collaborative and individualised therapeutic alliances with their PlantMed doctor. Opportunities are provided to address integrated health support advice and ensure all aspects of the supportive integrative health plan are being continued for maximum patient benefit.
Please note that PlantMed is a doctor-owned and operated medical clinic that does not simply processes Medicinal Cannabis governmental approval processes and paper work. We take care of all aspects of patient Medicinal Cannabis treatment, of which Governmental approval processes form one aspect only.
There are currently no Medicare rebates for the services provided by PlantMed doctors. Please contact PlantMed for indicative pricing.
Medication costs are dependent on the type or form of Medicinal Cannabis prescribed by the PlantMed doctor, and the recommended dosing regime considered medically appropriate for each individual patient. As for most prescription medications, prices for medications are established by the medicine manufacturers themselves, not by independent prescribing doctors. Costs for Medicinal Cannabis can range from $89 – $350 per vial, which can last between 4-12 weeks depending on dose rate These are estimate amounts for medication costs only.