Pharmacy Daily | Cannatrek signs CWH partnership

MEDICINAL cannabis company, Cannatrek Ltd, is set to develop and bring new products to market, including low-dose cannabidiol (CBD) products on an exclusive basis under one of Chemist Warehouse's (CWH's) brands, as part of a strategic partnership.

Under the deal Cannatrek is set to train and education CWH pharmacists about "the benefits, any potential issues and applicability of medicinal cannabis products for a range of illnesses", the company said.

The company will also become CWH's exclusive telehealth partner for medicinal cannabis alongside general telehealth provider, Instant Consult, while also providing access to touch screens located in-store to enable patients to make enquiries about their eligibility to access CBD medications.

The agreement comes days after the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) down-scheduled low-dose medicinal cannabis products to Pharmacist-Only - however to date no products that meet the TGA's criteria for an S3 medication have been approved for listing on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).

Cannatrek CEO, Tommy Huppert, described the partnership as a "game-changer" for Australian patients.

"We are thrilled that CWH has seen the value in entering a strategic partnership with Cannatrek as its medicinal cannabis partner," he said.

"It means that not only will we provide CWH with low-dose CBD products to be sold to consumers over-the-counter given the recent decision by the TGA, but we will work with them to develop new products.

"The ultimate winner will be Australian consumers, who will get access to high-quality medicinal cannabis products via a visit to Australia's largest pharmacy chain, which has Australia-wide distribution."

Currently Schedule 8 and S4 medicinal cannabis products are only available to patients through the Special Access Scheme (SAS) B pathway or from an authorised prescriber.