Medicinal cannabis companies that falsely claimed their prescription products could treat serious conditions, such as cancer and epilepsy, have received a collective fine of almost $1m by Australia’s drugs regulator.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued 73 infringement notices totaling $972,360 between the medicinal cannabis companies MGC Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Cannatrek Ltd, and Little Green Pharma Ltd. The infringements were for the alleged unlawful advertising of medicinal cannabis products on websites and social media platforms.
In Australia, promoting prescription medicines to the general public is illegal in order to protect consumers against misleading or false claims and to better ensure medical advice only comes from health professionals who have seen the patient and know their history.
The TGA alleges the companies unlawfully promoted prescription-only medicinal cannabis products, including references on their websites that the products can treat serious diseases or conditions, including cancer and epilepsy.
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