Dr. Peter Vanrietvelde is authorised by Therapeutic Goods Administration’s (TGA) to prescribe medicinal cannabis. The legislation changed in 2016 allowing GPs to prescribe.
As a General practitioner with special interest (GPwSI), he shares care with your regular GP. Similar to other medical specialists, he welcomes referrals from GP’s and corresponds back in a timely manner.
Please bring a health summary, or ask our Medical Receptionist for a consent form to send your medical records prior to your first appointment.
You will need regular consultations. Medicinal cannabis not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Check with your individual health insurance provider, or community care organisation (e.g. BlueCare), as some companies are assisting patients by covering some costs of private medicinal cannabis pres criptions.
Medicinal cannabis works when the main components (THC and CBD) interact with our endocannabinoid receptor systems. Endocannabinoids and their receptors are found throughout the body. When a person uses cannabis, the cannabinoids find the endocannabinoid receptors in our central nervous system and bind to them. These interactions can have a variety of effects on immune function, inflammation, appetite, metabolism and energy homeostasis, cardiovascular function, digestion, bone development and bone density, synaptic plasticity and learning, pain, reproduction, psychiatric disease, psychomotor behaviour, memory, wake/sleep cycles, and the regulation of stress and emotional states.
The two main cannabinoid receptors are called CB1 and CB2.
THC, the cannabinoid most associated with cannabis, is responsible for the psychoactivity often experienced when taking cannabis.
Benefits to the immune system regulation, and anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties
CBD, is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid CBD that has many potential medical benefits, and can counteract the psychoactivity of THC.
Benefits are anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antianxiety, anti-nausea, anti-psychotic, and/or anti-convulsive effects.
Medicinal Cannabis is often used as an adjunct to existing treatment.
Over 200 conditions have been approved by the TGA. There are no restrictions imposed by the TGA on the indication/s for which a health practitioner may apply to access medicinal cannabis for their patient.
Conditions include, though are not limited to:
It has a lower risk of dependence than alcohol, nicotine and even coffee!
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
English
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Myanmar (Burmese)
Nepali
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Swahili