Clinical trials and other research on medicinal cannabis

Clinical trials are research investigations in which people volunteer to test new medications and treatments as a means to manage various medical conditions.

Participants in clinical trials for medicinal cannabis will use pharmaceutical medicinal cannabis products approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the relevant Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC).

The results of ongoing clinical trials will establish an evidence base for medicinal cannabis and inform future treatment decisions.

Commonwealth approval

There are 2 schemes under which clinical trials involving therapeutic goods, including medicinal cannabis may be conducted in Australia:

  • Clinical Trial Exemption scheme (CTX)
  • Clinical Trial Notification scheme (CTN)

These schemes are regulated by the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Research on medicinal cannabis

There are many claims about the beneficial use of medicinal cannabis products for a wide range of conditions. Most of these claims lack solid scientific backing, because cannabis is an illegal drug and it has been difficult for researchers to run research trials.

The current research aims to establish which cannabis compounds and dosage levels are effective, and for which conditions and symptoms.

There are different types of cannabis, and these can contain over 400 various compounds in the raw form. We need to research cannabis products using known stable active components, so that treatment outcomes can be compared and replicated.

The 2 main active components that are the current focus of research are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). However, there are many other components that may be beneficial and will be the focus of research in the future.

Other research

Research is underway both in Australia and internationally to clinically trial a range of medicinal products, visit the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry

Last updated: 4 September 2023