Latest news with #medicinalcannabis
Reuters
13 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Australian regulator initiates legal action against firms for advertising medicinal cannabis
June 20 (Reuters) - An Australian regulator has initiated federal court proceedings against News Corp Australia-owned News Life Media and other firms for alleged illegal advertising of medicinal cannabis, it said on Friday. The Therapeutic Goods Administration is seeking penalties against the companies, which include natural therapies provider AG Therapeutics, media outlet and public relations firm Straight Up PR. News Corp Australia, a unit of News Corp (NWSA.O), opens new tab, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comments. Articles published by News Life Media and Mamamia allegedly featured prohibited representations, testimonials, and endorsements from individuals like healthcare professionals and relatives, breaching advertising codes, the TGA said. The regulator has also alleged that AG Therapeutics used euphemisms like "plant medicine" and promoted medicinal cannabis for treating serious conditions on its website and social media. Under Australia's Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, prescription medicines, including medicinal cannabis, cannot be advertised directly to the public without prior approval or permission from the TGA. "We allege that AG Therapeutics, Mamamia and News Life had been warned on multiple occasions in relation to the alleged unlawful advertising of therapeutic goods," said Anthony Lawler, the head of the regulator.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Australian regulator initiates legal action against firms for advertising medicinal cannabis
(Reuters) -An Australian regulator has initiated federal court proceedings against News Corp Australia-owned News Life Media and other firms for alleged illegal advertising of medicinal cannabis, it said on Friday. The Therapeutic Goods Administration is seeking penalties against the companies, which include natural therapies provider AG Therapeutics, media outlet and public relations firm Straight Up PR. News Corp Australia, a unit of News Corp, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comments. Articles published by News Life Media and Mamamia allegedly featured prohibited representations, testimonials, and endorsements from individuals like healthcare professionals and relatives, breaching advertising codes, the TGA said. The regulator has also alleged that AG Therapeutics used euphemisms like "plant medicine" and promoted medicinal cannabis for treating serious conditions on its website and social media. Under Australia's Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, prescription medicines, including medicinal cannabis, cannot be advertised directly to the public without prior approval or permission from the TGA. "We allege that AG Therapeutics, Mamamia and News Life had been warned on multiple occasions in relation to the alleged unlawful advertising of therapeutic goods," said Anthony Lawler, the head of the regulator.
ABC News
7 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Is it too easy to get a prescription for medicinal cannabis?
There are concerns people are getting their hands on medicinal cannabis to treat conditions where there's very little evidence of benefit — and the possibility of harm. Also, why weight loss drugs could improve treatment for people with schizophrenia. The full breadth of corporate ownership of radiology clinics is revealed. And what questions need to be asked with IVF in the spotlight, as Monash IVF deals with the fallout from a second bungled embryo transfer. References:
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Report finds Guernsey medicinal cannabis is used recreationally
Concerns have been raised by health professionals about the recreational use of medicinal cannabis in Guernsey. The Combined Substance Use Strategy 2024 annual report found 79% of those who used cannabis in the last 12 months reported that they did not have it prescribed to them. For those who did not have it prescribed to them, 70% reported using medicinal grade abuse lead at the Health Improvement Commission, Andrea Nightingale said: "The medicinal cannabis is strong and the strength of it is a concern - especially when young people are using as their brains are still developing. "We know that the mental health services are extremely concerned about the correlation between mental health and medicinal cannabis and induced psychosis which has risen over the last couple of years, although now it is fairly stable." The strategy combines tobacco, alcohol and drugs into a single document that is being continuously developed. Guernsey's director of public health, Dr Nicola Brink, said: "As evidence about the recreational use of medicinal cannabis emerges, we started looking at it and our chief pharmacist is looking at it in more detail. "From our perspective, the strategy should never be a static document - it needs to be a living document. "So we have modified the strategy during its lifetime as new evidence and trends emerge." 'More data needed' Local addiction support charity, Independence, said its data sets were too small to build an accurate picture but it was aware of anecdotal evidence that people were diverting medication. Executive officer of the charity, Tracey Rear, said: "For any services or any change to happen we need to have solid data."
ABC News
19-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Medicinal cannabis prescribing practices under scrutiny
Medicinal cannabis access in Australia was hard won by high profile lobbyists seeking to help terminally and chronically ill patients as an option of last resort. Now it's become big business with record numbers of scripts being written by doctors working for a growing number of telehealth companies. A 7.30 investigation has found some are being pressured to prescribe. National Health Reporter Elise Worthington and producer Emily Jane Smith have this exclusive report.
