GP Nic Giummarra has been appointed vice president of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians Australian Chapter (SCCAC).
In the position, Dr Giummarra will collaborate with president Dr Joel Wren and the Australian Medicinal Cannabis Association (AMCA) on several priorities, among them cannabis education for health professionals and the development of a code of conduct.
SCCAC recently played a key role in establishing TEACH-hub – Training and Education About Cannabis in Healthcare – a joint initiative with AMCA and United in Compassion (UIC).
Dr Giummarra brings to the role a long career as a family doctor before redirecting his practice toward medicinal cannabis, where he has guided treatment plans for hundreds of patients.
He founded his own clinic, MCGP, in 2021, and is set to merge it with Dr James Stewart’s Herbal Clinics next month.
“We’re really keen to set the standard in the industry for good patient care,” Dr Giummarra said.
He is currently a candidate for his second Fellowship of Advanced Rural General Practice, through which he keeps his broad clinical skills current by practising in both GP and hospital environments in remote parts of Australia.
Dr Giummarra advocates for the use of high-quality CBD dominant formulations, with THC used “sparingly and appropriately”.
In a statement announcing his appointment, AMCA said: “Nic believes in co-operation and collaboration from everyone involved, from the growers and manufacturers, to the pharmacies and of course doctors, who have a perennial obligation to uphold the highest standards for our patients, and also the wider profession.
“We are very pleased to have him and look forward to working with him on health professional education, advocacy and on issues such as a code of conduct.”
Separately, Reason Party leader Fiona Patten and conjoint professor Nicholas Lintzeris have been formally elected to the AMCA board.
The two new members join chair Lucy Haslam, Mills Oakley partner Dr Teresa Nicoletti, ANTG chief scientific officer Justin Sinclair, research scientist Emily Rigby, associate professor Marc Russo, Austranna chief executive Bryan Ebstyne and federal education officer with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Jodie Davis.
