The Australian Medicinal Cannabis Association (AMCA) and Medicinal Cannabis Industry Australia (MCIA) have officially completed their merger, giving rise to the Medicinal Cannabis Council Australia (MCCA) as a single unified national body for the industry.
Talks between the two groups had been in motion since July last year, with both organisations working toward consolidation before executing a deed of merger in late 2025.
The formation process is now complete, with the MCCA fully operational under a new constitution. A website is expected to go live in the near future.
Kristin Viccars and Dr Teresa Nicoletti — the former heads of MCIA and AMCA respectively — are jointly co-chairing the new association on a transitional basis, with both having indicated they will not be putting themselves forward for the permanent chair position.
Finding a full-time chief executive is among the MCCA's most immediate priorities.
Viccars said the organisation is looking for a leader committed to "integrity and long-term value".
"This is an open call to those who believe in collaboration and the future of this vital sector," he said. "Shaping the future of medicinal cannabis in Australia is the responsibility of all of us.
"Our sector knows the very real patient benefits that our members see each and every day – we do not seek to be the loudest voice in the room, but rather the strongest, as a credible and trusted partner working collaboratively with stakeholders, regulators and government in the best interests of patients."
The incoming CEO will work alongside a MCCA board made up of between seven and 10 directors.
Of those positions, three are set aside for healthcare practitioners, three for industry representatives, two for independent directors, and two for individuals with a background in patient advocacy.
Nicoletti commented on the significance of the merger: "This is an exciting milestone that ensures our industry has a clear peak body which represents the vast majority of the industry.
"Our industry embraces the challenge of evolving best practice regulation with the authorities and the new peak body Medicinal Cannabis Council Australia is well positioned to strongly advocate for maintaining patient access throughout the transition process."
She noted that the industry had already been engaging collaboratively in its response to the TGA consultation, with the formal completion of the merger providing an opportunity to reinforce calls for considered reform.
"We recognise the need for an evolved framework but it must be one that reflects the relevant risk and benefit profiles of medicinal cannabis," she said. "Any reforms should include data tracking, measurement and reporting that is absent in the current pathways.
"We also continue to advocate for building the required real-world evidence base that can be a strong foundation that informs further policy reform."
