Tuesday 20th of February, 2024

RACHEL PAYNE — To ask the Attorney-General (for the Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC): 

(1)  What was the total number of TAC clients who had their claims for medicinal cannabis to treat chronic non-cancer pain funded, in full, between —

(a)  1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023;

(b)  1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022;

(c)  1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021;

(d)  1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020; and

(e)  1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019.

(2)  What was the total number of TAC clients who had their claims for medicinal cannabis to treat chronic non-cancer pain funded, in part, between —

(a)  1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023;

(b)  1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022;

(c)  1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021;

(d)  1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020; and

(e)  1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019.

(3)  What was the total number of TAC clients who made claims for medicinal cannabis to treat chronic non-cancer pain between —

(a)  1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023;

(b)  1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022;

(c)  1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021;

(d)  1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020; and

(e)  1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019.

Written response provided 29th April:

The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) supports clients to access evidence-based treatment to assist their recovery from transport accident injuries.

The TAC will only approve medicinal cannabis to support the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain in limited circumstances, and via an initial trial period.

On 1 October 2022, the TAC released its sub-policy on medicinal cannabis for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain. This sub-policy forms part of the TAC’s Non-Established, New or Emerging Treatment and Services policy (NeNets).

Under this sub-policy, all of the following conditions must be met for a request for the TAC to fund medicinal cannabis treatment, for an initial trial period, to be approved:

a)     all other reasonable established treatments and services, that have stronger evidence of effectiveness, have been trialled without success in the client’s circumstance. Alternatively, these treatments and services are considered inappropriate for client-specific reasons (such as contraindications or significant side effects).

b)     a treating pain specialist provides evidence in the form of a letter or opinion. This must support the use of medicinal cannabis in the client’s case for easing symptoms of chronic non- cancer pain. It must show that the risk of adverse events or dependence from the use of medicinal cannabis in the client’s circumstances is acceptable.

c)      measures are in place to assess the effectiveness of treatment for the client and any side effects.

d)     a treatment plan is in place.

e)     an addiction specialist provides advice if the client has a history of dependency or is using an oral morphine equivalent of more than 100mg a day.

f)       the client’s regular treating practitioner or GP provides evidence of support.

Following the initial trial period, the TAC will review the outcomes based on the measures originally identified and the treatment plan provided. This assessment will determine if the TAC can continue to pay the reasonable cost of medicinal cannabis. The TAC will require an annual review of usage and outcomes from the pain physician and addiction specialist to ensure clients continue to benefit from the treatment and that no adverse effects have developed.

Prior to 1 October 2022, requests for medicinal cannabis treatment were considered under the TAC’s NeNets policy on a case-by-case basis.

The claims data provided below relates only to requests for medicinal cannabis to treat chronic non- cancer pain, and are a sub-set of all claim requests regarding medicinal cannabis.

Between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2023, a total of 157 TAC clients requested medicinal cannabis to support the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain. Of these requests:

• 21 were funded in full,
• 28 were funded in part, and
• 108 were declined.

This data has not been provided by financial year due to the complex nature of the dataset, that TAC’s sub-policy for medicinal cannabis was only introduced in 2022, and the low volume of claims (which may give rise to privacy concerns).

The Hon. Danny Pearson MP, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC