Medicinal cannabis

Last updated

1 September 2026

What is medicinal cannabis

Medicinal cannabis products are medicines derived from cannabis plants with labelled levels of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). These products are regulated in Australia and can be prescribed for therapeutic purposes, including to treat or improve symptoms of some medical conditions.

Most medicinal cannabis products are unapproved goods that have not been assessed for safety, quality, or effectiveness by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

Where clinically appropriate, there are pathways for registered health professionals to prescribe unapproved medicinal cannabis products for their patients.

Who can access it

Medicinal cannabis funding can be considered for specific health conditions where DVA has an existing liability to treat the stated condition (conditions are listed further below).

When a doctor asks us for approval to fund medicinal cannabis, we consider the information they provide for each application on a case-by-case basis.

Before we can approve funding, you need to have previously received standard treatment for the same condition. We can only fund medicinal cannabis after standard treatments for your condition haven’t been successful.

To approve funding, your doctor needs to confirm to DVA that:

the product being prescribed is clinically indicated, and a trial may be of benefit (for new requests)
the product being prescribed is clinically indicated, and treatment has been shown to be of benefit (for repeat requests), and
under their relevant authorisations they are allowed to prescribe the product.

In some situations, we will also need your treating doctor to arrange for a written assessment from a relevant, non-GP specialist who treats you for the nominated health condition. The specialist will need to confirm they support the application for medicinal cannabis for the nominated health condition.

We will consider funding medicinal cannabis for treatment of the following health conditions:

chronic pain
chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
palliative care indications
anorexia and wasting associated with chronic illness such as cancer
spasticity from neurological conditions, and
refractory paediatric epilepsy.

We cannot approve funding for medicinal cannabis for conditions where its use has not been proven to be effective, harmless and safe, such as treatment for a mental health condition.

How to access it

Medicinal cannabis is funded through the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS).

Speak to your treating doctor. They will assess you for medicinal cannabis treatment.

You will need to have an in-person consultation with your doctor when:

being prescribed medicinal cannabis for the first time
changing to a new prescriber, and/or
for any changes to a prescription resulting in an increase from Tier 1 to Tier 2.

Your doctor will contact us to get approval before they can prescribe medicinal cannabis to you via the RPBS. We will ask them for information about your treatment and the products they plan to prescribe.

In some situations, your doctor can call the Veterans’ Affairs Pharmaceutical Advisory Centre (VAPAC) on 1800 552 580 to ask for approval for RPBS prescriptions. Whether they can arrange it over the phone depends on:

the reason they’re prescribing it
the number of products they’re prescribing, and
how much THC is in the product(s) they’re prescribing.

In other situations, your doctor will need to apply in writing and include a written assessment from your relevant, treating non-GP specialist. Your doctor can then submit an authority prescription approval request to DVA. It is important to note that this process may not occur immediately after you see your doctor.

You can find more information about what we need from your doctor at Medicinal cannabis information for providers.

If we approve the request for funding, your doctor will need to arrange an Authority prescription. You can take the prescription to any pharmacy of your choice which is able to dispense RPBS prescriptions.

You will need to pay the pharmacy the concessional co-payment of $7.70 each time the prescription is supplied unless you have reached the concessional safety net. This concessional co-payment is not reimbursable by DVA.

Travel for treatment

Travel for treatment is available to help veterans who need to attend an in-person appointment with an approved prescriber. Travel for treatment can only be supported to attend the Place Where Appropriate Treatment was Available (PWATA). For medicinal cannabis, the PWATA is the prescriber located closest in distance, who is recognised as an approved prescriber.

While you can attend treatment Australia-wide with the provider or prescriber of your choice, under the legislation, travel for treatment (including reimbursements and DVA arranged transport) is limited to the PWATA. For example, if the PWATA is Brisbane and you travel to Sydney, travel compensation will be calculated to Brisbane not Sydney, so you will have out-of-pocket transport expenses if you choose to travel to Sydney.

If you are unsure if a medicinal cannabis prescriber location is your PWATA, please contact DVA before you travel.

Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses

DVA only funds medicinal cannabis under the RPBS and it must be supplied by a pharmacy that can dispense RPBS items, via an approved Authority prescription.

Reimbursement of any expense privately incurred for consultations or products without an authority approval are subject to the same guidelines outlined above.

DVA encourages clients to ensure their doctor is seeking RPBS Authority prescription approval for any medicinal cannabis, prior to receiving your prescription. This will ensure that you are accessing the product at the concessional rate.

DVA will only consider reimbursing eligible clients for the purchase of TGA-approved medicinal cannabis vaporisers when they are:

used solely for the administration of dried herb medicinal cannabis,
purchased within 3 months of medicinal cannabis being dispensed through the RPBS, and
supplied via a pharmacy.

The current list of vaporisers approved by the TGA can be found on the TGA website.

You will need to seek reimbursement by submitting a D1181 - Application for Reimbursement of Medical Expenses with your receipt to pharmacy.reimbursement@dva.gov.au.

If you are also seeking reimbursement of a medicinal cannabis product that has not been provided through an RPBS Authority prescription, you must include a D9546 - RPBS Medicinal Cannabis Tier 2 Application completed by your treating doctor that outlines the clinical rationale for funding (even if your request meets the criteria for a Tier 1 application).

Reimbursement is not guaranteed. DVA does not provide reimbursement as an avenue for ongoing funding of treatment. We will not reimburse for repeat visits to health providers who do not accept Veteran Cards. Please ensure funding requests for treatment are aligned with DVA policy and Schedules.

For more information on reimbursements, please visit Medical Expenses Privately Incurred (MEPI).

Finding a Health Provider

If your current health provider is unable or unwilling to prescribe in line with the DVA Framework, you can find a new health provider by using the 'Service Finder' on the HealthDirect website. This service allows you to search by:

Provider type (e.g., general practitioner, occupational therapist, dentist)
Bulk billing arrangements
Disability access
Postcode.

If you need more help finding a provider, you can contact the Department of Veterans' Affairs directly on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) who can assist in providing a list of providers in your local area that may have previously engaged with DVA.

You will then need to contact these providers before attending an appointment/consultation to confirm they:

accept the DVA Veteran Card arrangements
hold specialist registration with Ahpra
prescribe medicinal cannabis in line with the DVA Framework.

DVA is unable to provide details of doctors currently prescribing medicinal cannabis or make any provider recommendations.

Latest evidence and resources

In 2025, DVA commissioned UNSW to provide a synthesis of evidence to inform best practices for the initiation, monitoring and deprescribing of medicinal cannabinoids in the management of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) among veterans and is published on the Research and Studies page, here.

From this evidence, the below materials have been developed to support healthcare providers, veterans and the broader medical community when considering the use of medicinal cannabinoids as part of a chronic pain management plan.

Resource for prescribers:

Clinical Guidance

Resources for veterans and the families of veterans:

Understanding Medicinal Cannabis for Chronic Pain: A Guide for Veterans

Where to find out more

If you want more information, you can contact us by:

phone 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372)
email ppo@dva.gov.au

You can also download the Repatriation Commissioner's Factsheet, or visit

Feedback

Your feedback helps us deliver quality service to veterans and families. Read more about complaints, compliments and other feedback.

Other health bodies can also benefit from your input. To give feedback about:

medicine quality or safety — contact the Therapeutic Goods Administration
health professionals — contact Ahpra.

Privacy notice

Personal information is protected by law, including the Privacy Act 1988. Personal information may be collected by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) for the delivery of government programs for war veterans, members of the Australian Defence Force, members of the Australian Federal Police and their dependents.

You can access our Privacy Collection Notice for details on how we collect and manage personal information, including health information, in relation to medicinal cannabis funding applications.

Our privacy collection notice regarding health information provides further information about the purposes for which we collect health information and how we use, disclose and protect it for a variety of DVA programs and services.