Australian Government Funding for Medicinal Cannabis Research

The Australian Government announced a $3 million investment from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to support research into the potential role of medicinal cannabis in managing pain, symptoms and treatment-related side effects experienced by people with cancer.

The announcement was made by the then Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, at the Olivia Newton-John Wellness Walk and Research Run in Melbourne. The funding was intended to support an open and competitive grant opportunity for clinical research.

Building the evidence base

At the time of the announcement, the Minister noted that well-designed clinical studies of medicinal cannabis were limited and that further research was needed to help healthcare professionals make informed treatment decisions.

The proposed research aimed to contribute evidence about whether medicinal cannabis could help manage cancer-related pain and other symptoms. Funding for research does not itself establish that medicinal cannabis is effective or suitable for a particular patient.

Olivia Newton-John's advocacy

Olivia Newton-John publicly advocated for greater awareness and research into medicinal cannabis following her experience with cancer. Her comments contributed to public discussion about the potential role of cannabis-based medicines in symptom management.

Personal experiences can help highlight questions for research, but they do not replace evidence from properly designed clinical studies.

Further information

The original government announcement is available here:

Australian Government: $3 million for research into medicinal cannabis benefits