Thanks for putting it so clearly! According to a October 2021 MTP Connect report, in partnership with Deloitte Access Economics, 97% of Australians using cannabis for medicinal purposes access the drug via illegal pathways. And only 2.4% of respondents reported having accessed medicinal cannabis via prescription from a registered doctor. Stats might have changed a bit in this fast moving environment, but wouldn't it be better that all patients have real medical oversight. The most common remark from patients is that they indicate that their GP doesn't feel comfortable prescribing it for reasons mentioned in Jim's post. Real world evidence/real world data has become a reality, both FDA and EMA are writing their strategies about it. The official EMA website mentions the vision to: "Enabling the use of real-world evidence (RWE) and establishing its value for regulatory decision-making on the development, authorisation and supervision of medicines in Europe by 2025" and that "The authors emphasise that delivering this vision, anchored in the Network Strategy to 2025, will support the development and use of better medicines for patients." Jim mentioned his 3000 patients, we don't have to wait till 2025.
Stop! Collaborate and Listen!..... actually probably should be Stop! Listen and Collaborate. This is a message to The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), also any oncologist, rheumatologist, sleep physician, palliative care and pain specialist. Plants are another option. Actually, I have found them to be a much better option. We are not asking you to forgot everything you know and commit 100% to plants.... just have a look. Stop using the excuse there is no evidence. There is more than enough. If you think there isnt enough evidence that plants can work then at least look and see that there is hardly ever any significant adverse effects. If you stil aren't quite convinced shoot me your email and I'll get 3000+ patients to send you a message telling you how their lives have been transformed using plant medicine. Just try it on one or two of your patients.. you will see.. and then you will have the horrible feeling that each and every single doctor who has come across to plant medicine feels..."Oh man. I have been doing it wrong for so many years. I have been inadvertently harming my patients for many years prescribing what I was taught to prescribe". Its a bloody tough to pill to swallow. But its not too late to make a change. Please consider adding Medicinal Cannabis to your prescribing armoury. (Yes ist not for everyone but I can guarantee its for more people than its not). Its easy to learn. Majority of the MSL's in this space are fantastic and can guide you. If that all sounds a bit hard then all I ask is to spare 7 minutes of your life to reconsider. **Please do this. You owe it to everyone. You took an oath to "DO NO HARM". Today after you have finished seeing all your patients, put some headphones on, take a couple of deep breaths and listen to this song. While its playing think about what you prescribed today. Did it help that person?.. or was it just an easy thing to take to cover deeper issues. Does it have side effects? Are they addicted?.... really really think about this. Surely you cant think that across the board we are doing a good job at keeping the human race happy and healthy..? Remember why you came here... Remember why you are a doctor. And remember that people look to us to not only help them, but guide them and teach the how to be healthier and happier. Thats all im asking. If you get through the 7 minutes and can honestly say you're truly happy with everything. thats amazing and I wish you all the best.... but I'm pretty sure 99.9% of you will hopefully realise that maybe.. we have it wrong. https://lnkd.in/g5W6GgdE