MedReleaf Australia’s subsidiary across the ditch has been granted a Medicinal Cannabis Supply Licence from the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
The licence will enable MedReleaf NZ to acquire starting material, cannabis-based ingredients and medical cannabis products, including the import of such products into New Zealand. The company has also been approved to supply three medicinal cannabis products. The company is planning launches for each into the New Zealand medical market early next year.
“This is an important milestone for MedReleaf Australia, our New Zealand subsidiary MedReleaf NZ and Aurora Enterprises, with all three teams having worked diligently with the Ministry of Health to obtain Registrations for three of our quality dried EU-GMP medical cannabis products,” said MedReleaf Australia CEO Russell Harding.
MedReleaf Australia has an exclusive partnership with Aurora Cannabis Enterprises; which is based in Canada.
MedReleaf Australia was established in 2016 and formally commenced operations in Australia in 2018. The company holds licences issued by the Australian Federal Government’s Office of Drug Control (ODC) to cultivate and manufacture medical cannabis. Additionally, it also has licences to import, export, and wholesale medical cannabis.
Commenting on the soon-to-be-launched products in New Zealand, Medreleaf Australia CEO Russell Harding said:
“The doctors, pharmacists, and patients of New Zealand will soon have access to some of the highest quality and innovative medical cannabis products manufactured under the most stringent conditions in Canada, and I look forward to assisting in the launch of our initial range and assisting GPs to provide access for patients of our country.”
Medicinal cannabis products can be prescribed by any registered doctor in New Zealand. Generally, a product that has either been verified against the Minimum Quality Standard (MQS) or approved as a medicine can be prescribed without specialist recommendation or Ministerial approval. Doctors can make the call as to the suitability of cannabis for a patient, regardless of the condition.
In terms of (cannabidiol) CBD products not meeting the MQS, these can still be prescribed and sourced. However, a patient’s doctor must import it directly, or a pharmacy import it directly on the doctor’s behalf with a prescription.
