❓ Dr. Walker questions the Minister for Health about opioid use in pregnant women, neonatal opioid withdrawal, and the potential of medicinal cannabis as an alternative, advocating for a compassionate-access scheme. The Minister provides data on opioid replacement therapy and neonatal withdrawal, but declines to support funding for compassionate-access programs.
AnsweredQoN 702Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MEDICAL CANNABIS
702. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer the minister to research
undertaken by researchers at the University of Oklahoma's college of
medicine published earlier this year in the American Journal of Perinatology suggesting that easier access to medicinal cannabis has the potential to reduce
maternal opioid use.
(1) What proportion of pregnant
women are prescribed opioids annually in Western Australia?
(2) How many cases of neonatal
opioid withdrawal syndrome have been reported locally?
(3) Will the minister take this latest research into
account and advocate for the creation of a compassionate-access scheme
to ease the financial burden on those looking to access medicinal cannabis
while at the same time continuing to urge
her federal colleagues to begin to list medicinal cannabis products on the p harmaceutical
benefits scheme?
702. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer the minister to research
undertaken by researchers at the University of Oklahoma's college of
medicine published earlier this year in the American Journal of Perinatology suggesting that easier access to medicinal cannabis has the potential to reduce
maternal opioid use.
(1) What proportion of pregnant
women are prescribed opioids annually in Western Australia?
(2) How many cases of neonatal
opioid withdrawal syndrome have been reported locally?
(3) Will the minister take this latest research into
account and advocate for the creation of a compassionate-access scheme
to ease the financial burden on those looking to access medicinal cannabis
while at the same time continuing to urge
her federal colleagues to begin to list medicinal cannabis products on the p harmaceutical
benefits scheme?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) In the last audit of the specialist drug and alcohol
antenatal clinic, 14.9 per cent of women attending were prescribed
opioid replacement therapy. This is prescribed to women with an addiction to
heroin and other opioids.
(2) There have
been less than five cases of neonatal withdrawal symptoms from maternal use of
drugs of addiction between June 2022 and May 2023.
(3) No. Government funding of individual independent
or privately-operated compassionate-access programs for medicines is not
supported.
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) In the last audit of the specialist drug and alcohol
antenatal clinic, 14.9 per cent of women attending were prescribed
opioid replacement therapy. This is prescribed to women with an addiction to
heroin and other opioids.
(2) There have
been less than five cases of neonatal withdrawal symptoms from maternal use of
drugs of addiction between June 2022 and May 2023.
(3) No. Government funding of individual independent
or privately-operated compassionate-access programs for medicines is not
supported.
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