The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved 17,866 medicinal cannabis applications through the Special Access Scheme in July, a slight increase on the previous month's numbers, with overall approval volumes holding at a consistent level.
Category five medicines — those containing at least 98% THC — made up the largest share at 9,565 approvals, or 54% of the total. Category one products, defined by a CBD content above 98%, accounted for 3,101 approvals, representing 17% of all applications sanctioned.
In terms of dosage form, oil and flower finished almost level in July. Oil took 43% of approvals while flower followed closely at 42%. Inhalation products accounted for 9% of the total, with pastilles making up the remaining 3%.
Men accounted for 58% of patients and women 42%, and the two groups showed distinct preferences by dosage form. Among the 10,379 prescriptions approved for male patients, flower led at 46% compared to 39% for oil. For female patients, oil was the more common form at 49%, with flower at 36%.
Across all patients and age groups, chronic pain remained the leading indication for medicinal cannabis prescriptions at 39% of all scripts, with anxiety the second most common at 32%.
Victoria produced the highest share of approvals by state at 45%, with Queensland contributing 29% and New South Wales 22%.
Across July, a total of 983 individual prescribers lodged medicinal cannabis applications with the TGA.
