❓ A WA parliamentarian congratulates MGC Pharma on its US deal but expresses frustration over medicinal cannabis access and pricing in Australia, prompting a response from the Health Minister highlighting previous advocacy for PBS inclusion.
AnsweredQoN 595Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MEDICAL CANNABIS — MGC PHARMACEUTICALS
595. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the minister representing the
Minister for Health:
I
refer the minister to the announcement in The West Australian of 28
August 2021 that Perth-listed and based MGC Pharmaceuticals has secured a $33 million
deal to launch its medicinal cannabis products onto the United States market.
(1) Will the minister take this
opportunity to congratulate MGC pharma on its success?
(2) Although welcoming the cash injection, does the
minister share my frustration, and that of many medicinal cannabis users
here in Western Australia, that this funding will go to improve patient access
to medicinal cannabis products in the United States while we still struggle
here in Australia with exorbitant prices in our own domestic market, courtesy
of federal government inaction?
595. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the minister representing the
Minister for Health:
I
refer the minister to the announcement in The West Australian of 28
August 2021 that Perth-listed and based MGC Pharmaceuticals has secured a $33 million
deal to launch its medicinal cannabis products onto the United States market.
(1) Will the minister take this
opportunity to congratulate MGC pharma on its success?
(2) Although welcoming the cash injection, does the
minister share my frustration, and that of many medicinal cannabis users
here in Western Australia, that this funding will go to improve patient access
to medicinal cannabis products in the United States while we still struggle
here in Australia with exorbitant prices in our own domestic market, courtesy
of federal government inaction?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided by the
Minister for Health.
(1) Yes, the
McGowan government congratulates MGC pharma, as a Western Australian–based
company, on its international success.
Part (2) of the member's
question asks for an opinion, which, of course, does not need to be provided
under the standing orders. However, I have an answer to (2).
(2) The minister
has previously written to the commonwealth in support of the inclusion of
cannabis-based products on the
pharmaceutical benefits scheme to provide funded access to these medicines for
Australians.
some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided by the
Minister for Health.
(1) Yes, the
McGowan government congratulates MGC pharma, as a Western Australian–based
company, on its international success.
Part (2) of the member's
question asks for an opinion, which, of course, does not need to be provided
under the standing orders. However, I have an answer to (2).
(2) The minister
has previously written to the commonwealth in support of the inclusion of
cannabis-based products on the
pharmaceutical benefits scheme to provide funded access to these medicines for
Australians.
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