Author: Dani

Like its applications in finance, customer service and education, AI has the potential to radically transform how we practice medicine and deliver healthcare.

Healthcare systems all around the world are feeling the pressure with ageing populations, the increasing burden of chronic disease and rising healthcare costs all putting a strain on patients, clinicians, governments and regulators. Particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which has uncovered some serious shortages in the workforce and inequitable barriers to access.

The gold standard goals for modern health care systems are to improve the health of a population, improve the experience of patients and caregivers, and reduce the rising costs associated with healthcare. This is perhaps where AI may prove to not just alleviate the burden of our healthcare systems, but also enable us to achieve the aforementioned goals.

When we think about healthcare, there are a wide variety of conditions, treatments, protocols and diagnostic tests, alongside a plethora of different specialty staff and procedures, from reception staff and logistics all the way to surgeons and theatre nurses. That is to say, healthcare is a collection of many disciplines unified in achieving positive patient outcomes. Which means artificial intelligence in healthcare is not just one thing. It is not a single specialised algorithm or software model, but rather a variety of different tools built to augment current healthcare systems.

Currently, AI systems are being adopted by healthcare services to automate high volume, tedious, time consuming tasks. This is because AI models are not reasoning engines – they can’t use common sense, experience, or provide clinical judgement the way a human doctor can. Rather, AI can translate patterns from collections of data, and to this end, there has been some notable progress in using AI for precision diagnostics.

Some of the potential uses of AI in healthcare, which we will likely see over the next decade, may include things like virtual assistants, personalised mental health support, precision imaging, customised healthcare robotics, and AI driven drug discovery. We don’t know whether the adoption of such technologies will be incremental or exponential, but the changes they bring will undoubtedly require existing healthcare organisations to consider how they are going to adapt to this evolving digital landscape.

While all this is exciting, one cannot talk about AI in a contemporary setting without a conversation about everyone’s favourite kind of AI; the AI chatbot. AI chatbots have been used widely by patients to try and identify symptoms and search for treatment recommendations. We are now seeing AI companies create chatbots specialised for healthcare. 

An AI chatbot specialised for healthcare seems like a good idea. It could help with triage and perhaps reduce the pressure on hospital wait times if it indeed can help in non urgent medical settings. It does raise a few legitimate concerns for users of such platforms. When you log in and share your information, where does that data go? How safe is it really? One AI provider claims their new health Chatbot is private and secure, which potentially makes it safe from hackers, but does it protect said data from being sold to advertisers or government bodies? Currently there are no formal regulatory processes. Commercially available AI programs are not marketed as health services, meaning they sit outside the remit of regulators like the TGA. A specialised health AI software would be, but even then, there is not enough data to confirm how safe such programs are.

You may be wondering what difference there is between using an AI platform to get medical advice, compared to just doing a standard web search using something like Google. When you search the internet, you may find a bunch of pages with relevant information, but it will be up to you to read through those, ascertain their legitimacy, and derive the answer. AI, on the other hand, synthesises all those webpages and documents into a single easy to understand answer. Which seems extremely helpful, but also points out an inherent weakness. These services exist in an artificial setting and can provide answers to very specific questions, but cannot engage any further to actually problem solve. 

While clearly not a replacement for care from a professional, AI could perhaps offer patients a better understanding of their symptoms and conditions, so that when they do present to their GP, they have more meaningful questions to ask.

In conclusion, the integration of artificial intelligence into healthcare presents a complicated yet promising future (much like any relationship). The challenges, particularly around data privacy, security, and the lack of comprehensive regulation, must be addressed proactively to ensure patient safety and to create a sense of trust in the system. We need to remember that AI is never going to replace the crucial human elements involved in compassionate healthcare. Instead, it serves as a powerful resource that has the potential to dramatically ease the strain on global healthcare systems and improve patient understanding and access.

References

ABC RN. (2026, January 30). Health Report: AI advice on abortion, fat-call and health misinformation [Audio interview]. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/healthreport/ai-advice-abortion-fat-call/106237250

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (n.d.). Artificial intelligence in health care. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/digital-health/artificial-intelligence 

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2023). Chronic disease in Australia. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-disease/chronic-disease-in-australia 

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. (n.d.). Health information and the Privacy Act. https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/health-information

PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia. (2017). The economic impact of artificial intelligence in Australia: Digital Pulse. https://www.pwc.com.au/digitalpulse/artificial-intelligence.html 

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. (n.d.). Artificial intelligence in general practice. https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/key-racgp-guidelines/view-all-racgp-guidelines/artificial-intelligence-in-general-practice 

Therapeutic Goods Administration. (n.d.-a). Artificial intelligence in medical devices. Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. https://www.tga.gov.au/products/medical-devices/software-medical-device-samd/artificial-intelligence-medical-devices 

Therapeutic Goods Administration. (n.d.-b). Regulation of software-based medical devices. Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/resource/guidance/regulation-software-based-medical-devices 

World Health Organization. (2021). Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240029200

Zech, J. R., Mullan, E., & Hodge, J. G. (2021). Regulating artificial intelligence in health care: The future is now. JMIR Biomedical Engineering, 6(1), Article e28058. https://doi.org/10.2196/28058 (Available at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8285156/)

A note from Astrid: There are few communities as passionate, resilient and outspoken as the endometriosis community.

March marks Endometriosis Awareness Month, a time when conversations about the disease become more visible, but not always more accurate. While awareness is important, many patients and advocates feel that the broader discussion still misses the lived reality of people navigating this condition every day.

This piece has been written by endometriosis warrior and advocate Rachel Bishop of Endo Geelong. While the views expressed are Rachel’s own, we recognise they may resonate with many people living with endometriosis across Australia.

We’re grateful to Rachel for sharing her perspective, and for the work she continues to do advocating for patients and amplifying voices within the community.

For many endometriosis patients and advocates, there is a significant feeling of dread every year when March rolls around.

Endometriosis Awareness Month brings with it many complicated feelings. Whilst it is recognised amongst the patient community that there is a dire need for awareness and understanding, there is a distinct lack of accountability and responsibility from many practitioners, the mainstream media, organisations and politicians when it comes to reporting facts and evidence.

March is a prime opportunity for people to jump onto the endo bandwagon, which often perpetuates the cycle of misinformation and leads to further harm within the patient community.

Historically, endometriosis has been conceptualised and documented as being a disease primarily affecting women and those assigned female at birth (AFAB)’s reproductive organs, peritoneum and pelvic region. However, contemporary evidence has fundamentally challenged this narrow view. Overwhelming evidence is showing that endometriosis is not only a full-body inflammatory disease affecting all major organs, systems and tissue, but that endometriosis has also been documented and diagnosed in all genders, in unborn fetuses, and in animals. 

Despite this evidence, the representation of endometriosis within the wider community and globally remains in the binary landscape of affecting women/AFAB only, with depictions of uteruses and ovaries plastered across marketing and promotional material. This leads to patients bearing the responsibility of educating not only those that should be leading the open and inclusive discussions, but other patients who have taken what is presented to them as gospel. And why shouldn’t they? We rely on the medical profession and those organisations who claim to act in our best interests to be the pioneers of evidence and yet here we are, fighting the same battles that many advocates and patients have fought before us; the fight to be heard.

If the triggering nature of “endo month” wasn’t enough already, recent events, regarding a disgraced surgeon’s corruption and malpractice, have created additional trauma. Not only for the individuals who have suffered directly as a result of his actions, but for the entire community, with many now questioning the ethics and conflicting interests of major hospitals, practitioners, and organisations.

Additionally, the media and some practitioners are now conflating the issue with the notion that surgery is being over-utilised in endometriosis treatment. 

This broader recognition of endometriosis as a systemic disease with multi-organ potential has important implications for clinical diagnosis and management. The management of endometriosis presents significant clinical challenges. While medical therapies can provide symptom control, surgical intervention remains a cornerstone of treatment, particularly for patients with deep infiltrating disease or those refractory to medical management (Singh et al., 2020).

Whilst it is necessary to continue the exploration of disease aetiology, diagnosis and symptom management, consideration must be made to the similarities between the way endometriosis lesions and cancer exist within the human body. In both cases, without surgical intervention via excision surgery, many patients would continue to experience the spread of disease throughout the body and the destruction of major organs, systems, and tissue. Placing wider restrictions on accessibility to expert excision surgery puts patients at risk of serious injury and even death, as shown in extreme cases such as that of fallen endo warrior Jahmby Koikai who passed away at age 38.

The historic and misogynistic view of endometriosis as being a disease affecting a woman’s menstrual cycle has resulted in obstetricians and gynaecologists being the primary care team when addressing endometriosis treatment and symptom management. Whilst these disciplines are essential for those patients experiencing signs and symptoms of endometriosis of the reproductive organs and pelvis, it is no longer appropriate for them to oversee the treatment guidelines, given the prevalence of extrapelvic endometriosis and the presentation of endometriosis in all genders, inclusive of cis-males. 

In considering the term endometriosis, it stands that the name ‘endometriosis’ itself is a misnomer, as it directly translates to ‘condition of the endometrium’. Disease names are often precisely descriptive of pathophysiology; polycystic kidney disease, for example, simply creates the image of a kidney with multiple cysts. Similarly, the name ‘endometriosis’ tends to automatically define the disease in terms of the endometrium, which is a misleading simplification, if not completely incorrect. There is conclusive proof that medical misnomers can create unconscious biases in the minds of clinicians, which can impact judgement and create a cycle of misinformation (Fatima O, Shams A. 2025).

This impairment of judgement and cycle of misinformation directly harms patients in several ways, such as:

• Those seeking a diagnosis wait 7-10 years on average to be adequately diagnosed, experiencing dismissal, invalidation, and gaslighting and/or pressured to take hormone-altering medications, which serve only as a Band-Aid for the symptoms and have no bearing on the spread of the disease. Patients are usually unaware of this until these medications are ceased, after which time the condition can become almost unmanageable. Other medications come with a raft of side effects, such as altering bone density, affecting mental health, and other complications or interactions. 

• The limitations and guidelines put in place by clinicians restricting endometriosis to a woman’s pelvic region and reproductive organs can seriously hinder a patient’s chance of recovery and a better quality of life. Whilst multidisciplinary modalities such as yoga, pelvic physiotherapy, and meditation can be useful in managing a patient’s symptoms, the issue remains. Unless the lesions are removed by an expert excision specialist, the problem is far from solved.

• The continued misrepresentation of the disease as being solely a “women’s disease” or “period disease” often pits patients against each other, with educated advocates frequently being the targets of abuse and criticism from within the patient community, simply for citing evidence and research that speaks to a more inclusive narrative. 

Ultimately, it should not be the responsibility of patients-turned-advocates to consistently educate those within the community, profession, media and industry. We are tired of only being contacted or listened to during periods of high exposure in the press, and tired of the same faces of misinformed poster-children being splayed across our televisions, social media feeds, and newspapers because it is more palatable for the public than the truth. 

Despite having access to the same evidence, I am yet to see any of our major “advocacy” organisations or high-profile clinicians speaking out on the existence of endometriosis in all genders, or to the true extent to which the disease impacts on the body as a whole. What I see is a misappropriation of patient donations, redundant studies, self-serving practices or ego, and the inability of those with the time and abundant resources to do their own research for the truth about endometriosis. As a patient who has experienced a 22-year diagnosis delay, still suffers from the disease, and spends their personal time outside of a full-time job fielding questions from distressed patients looking for help; I am exhausted. I am one of many.

We are not your headline, your token gesture or your political tool. 

We are suffering.

Rachel shares a number of resources, organisations, and voices that she believes are helping push the conversation around endometriosis forward with authenticity and true advocacy on her Instagram, @pinchiegram.  

Resources and organisations

• extrapelvicnotrare.org
• centerforendo.com
• invisibleiconic.com

Community based organisations

• https://www.instagram.com/endogeelong/ 

Further reading

• Endometriosis: From Harm to Hope by Casey Berna, LCSW

2025 was a year of many regulatory bodies holding a magnifying glass over the cannabis sector. 

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) investigated over a hundred prescribers in a major ethics crackdown. Following a spray of advertising fines, our national Health Regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) opened up an industry consultation with the goal to improve compliance and transparency across the medicinal cannabis sector. 

Why? To protect patients in a fast-growing industry, where some businesses across the supply chain, from suppliers and wholesalers to clinics, prescribers and dispensaries, may be motivated by profit at the expense of ethical patient care.

What behaviours can suggest a clinic may be prioritising profit over patient care?

While many clinics operate responsibly, patients should be aware of potential red flags in any fast-growing healthcare sector.

• Should patients receive 7 minute initial appointments with a faceless prescriber? How can consults for a Schedule 8 drug appropriately review holistic medical history and health needs in this short time? 
• Should patients be aware if clinics have under-the-table arrangements to prescribe products that provide commercial benefit to everyone but the patient?
• Should patients face hidden fees or hurdles when accessing their scripts at any pharmacy of their choice? 

These practices are occurring today, and patients are not always given the level of transparency they deserve. Healthcare decisions should be grounded in clinical need rather than commercial arrangements, and patients deserve to have clear visibility over how their prescriptions are issued, accessed, and dispensed.

1. Why prescription transparency matters

Your prescription is part of your healthcare. It should support your treatment, not restrict it.

Australia’s national prescribing systems are designed to ensure patients can receive prescriptions directly and choose where they are dispensed. Electronic prescriptions can be issued to patients via SMS, email, or through an Active Script List that can be accessed by pharmacies with patient consent.

This means prescription systems are built around patient access and portability, not provider control.

Red Flag If you are unable to access a script at a pharmacy of your choosing, the clinic has likely ‘locked’ your script to a pharmacy of their choosing.

Hot Tip Ask before you choose your clinic if you can have your script (and any other required documentation) sent to a pharmacy of your choosing. The answer should be “yes”, without any unreasonable fees (more on that below).

At Astrid Astrid Clinic will always issue eScripts and supporting prescription documents to patients at their request, at no cost, in a timely manner.

2. Clinical decisions must be independent

Prescribing decisions are intended to be based on clinical judgement and patient need.

Guidance from NSW Health states that prescribing decisions must not be governed by third parties receiving financial benefit from the supply of medicines. In other words, treatment decisions should be made for clinical reasons, not commercial ones.

Red Flag Medicinal Cannabis exists in the private sector, and clinicians are not subsidised by the government in the same way many GPs are. If a consultation is advertised as $0 or very low cost (such as $29), it should raise questions about how the clinician is being paid. That revenue would need to be generated elsewhere in the supply chain, potentially through affiliated products the clinics are financially incentivised to prescribe.

Hot Tip If you value prescriptions based on clinical judgement and patient need above all else, be aware that some low cost clinics may not hold the same values. Be empowered to ask them questions they should be able to transparently answer – we’ve created a checklist for you below.

At Astrid Astrid clinicians are paid from consultation fees, and scripts are written based on clinical judgement and patient need. Astrid Clinic refuses to accept any supplier or distributor commercial incentives to prescribe certain brands.

3. Prescriptions are designed to move with the patient

Australia’s digital prescribing infrastructure, coordinated nationally by the Australian Digital Health Agency, enables prescriptions to be issued directly to patients and dispensed at participating pharmacies they choose.

Clinics may recommend or partner with certain pharmacies. This is common and not inherently problematic, provided patients are informed and retain genuine choice.

This system exists to support continuity of care, convenience, and patient control over access to medicines.

It’s important to understand there is no law mandating fees for the movement of scripts or supporting documentation such as TGA approvals. If a clinic or dispensary charges a release fee, patients should ask why, because it is not required by the prescribing system.

Red Flag If fees are applied by a clinic or dispensary to “release”, “transfer”, or “discharge” a prescription and supporting documents, understand that this is a business decision. Furthermore, high fees may be designed to act as a deterrent for you taking your script elsewhere.

Hot Tip Before you choose your clinic, ask about fees to take your script/records to dispensaries of your choice. Some clinics may charge a small admin fee, but if the fees feel exorbitant, you are entitled to understand what they are for; and whether they are intending to ‘lock’ you into the clinic’s chosen pharmacy.

At Astrid Patients are always free to choose where they receive care and where their prescriptions are dispensed. If you decide to use another clinic or pharmacy, Astrid will promptly release your scripts and supporting prescription documents (such as TGA approvals) at no cost.

Astrid Clinic’s preferred dispensing partner is Astrid Dispensary, and we are open about this relationship. We’re proud of the partnership and believe both teams are aligned in delivering an informed, specialised, and patient-first experience.

The questions every patient should ask their clinic

Here are a list of questions every clinic should be able to answer openly and transparently.

Access
☐ Will I receive my prescription (eScript token or Active Script List access) after my consultation?

Choice
☐ Am I free to choose which pharmacy dispenses my medication?
☐ Can I change pharmacies if my circumstances change?

Fees
☐ Are there any administrative, transfer, or discharge fees to access my prescription?
☐ What exactly do those fees cover?

Independence
☐ Are prescribing decisions made independently of pharmacy or supplier arrangements?

Healthcare works best when patients have clarity, choice, and control. Remember that you have the right to ask for more detail to ensure you’re able to make the right decisions for your care. 

Astrid’s position on patient care

We believe that patients should always know how their prescriptions are issued, where they can be dispensed, what fees may apply, and that they are free to choose their clinic and pharmacy.

Transparency isn’t a privilege, it’s part of good healthcare. When patients have clear information, they can make confident decisions about their care. 

Your prescription should work for you, not the other way around

If you value transparency, quality of care, and empowerment in your healthcare, choose Astrid. 

2026 marks ten years since medicinal cannabis was legalised in Australia. To reflect on how far the industry has come, and where it’s headed next, we’re speaking with the people helping shape it. From early advocates, to scientific leaders working behind the scenes, this series captures the journeys, lessons, and hopes defining the first, and the next, decade of medicinal cannabis.

About Natalie D’Alessandro

Natalie D’Alessandro is a patient advocate and the founder of Viz Medicinal, where she supports practitioners and industry leaders to better understand the patient experience and approach medicinal cannabis with greater ethical care. 

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA, and has completed executive education at Harvard and Wharton, bringing a strong commercial and governance lens to her work. Natalie has spent time working alongside cannabis communities across the USA, Mexico, Canada and Europe, experiences that continue to shape her culturally informed perspective. She also serves on the board of a Human Research and Ethics Committee, and is particularly focused on addressing stigma, advancing gender health research, and embedding values-led thinking into healthcare systems.

The Australian medicinal cannabis community is ten years young. How did you first find your way into this space?

I did whatever it took to get into the medicinal cannabis industry at ground level. I started by answering phones in a clinic where I learned that I absolutely love interacting with patients. Listening to patients, day-in-day out was a profound experience. It changed everything for me.

I moved from the clinic into digital education, always led by the same instinct: when something important needs to be done, I do it.

I approach my work as a creative practice. I’ve learned that my best work comes when I balance structure with play; much like my relationship with the plant herself.

I work with companies, practitioners and individuals who share the same values and want to deeply understand the patient experience. My focus is ethical and differentiated strategies that honour patients as informed participants in their own healthcare journey.

What is the most meaningful lesson you’ve learnt about the cannabis plant?

Values matter so much in this space. Working with values in alignment changes everything about how the work feels for me. 

Not everyone is ready for the same conversation at the same time, and that’s okay. We don’t need consensus to speak truthfully about our personal experiences. In fact, medicine depends on us valuing individual response rather than uniformity. 

Cannabis grows everywhere and has been used across cultures for millennia. Its prohibition and its return mirror broader social cycles, particularly women reclaiming voice and agency.

What sounds “woo-woo” at first often becomes practical once you’ve lived it. Speak to your body. Listen to your body. What? Weird. Wait a minute… What did my body just say?

At its best, cannabis acts as a mirror and a magnifier. At worst, cannabis also acts as a mirror and a magnifier, take from that what you will!

What three words capture your hopes for cannabis in Australia over the next ten years? 

Potent. Home. Remedy.

To learn more about Natalie’s ongoing community advocacy, follow Viz Medicinal on Instagram.  

The views, opinions, and statements expressed in this article are solely those of the individual contributor and do not represent, and should not be attributed to, Astrid. Astrid makes no claims. Contributors are not our patients – their experiences are shared with the sole intent to inform their inspiration behind driving change in the sector through their advocacy, research, or policy contributions.

2026 marks ten years since medicinal cannabis was legalised in Australia. To reflect on how far the industry has come, and where it’s headed next, we’re speaking with the people helping shape it. From early advocates, to scientific leaders working behind the scenes, this series captures the journeys, lessons, and hopes defining the first, and the next, decade of medicinal cannabis.

About Chad Walkaden

Chad Walkaden is the CEO and Founder of OnTracka, an Australian digital health company delivering compliant infrastructure for remote patient monitoring and real-world evidence generation across highly regulated therapeutic areas, including supporting international randomised clinical trials alongside TGA-aligned research programs in Australia. 

Chad has also led academic collaborations focused on translating structured real-world data into evidence that clinicians and regulators can rely on, including research in PTSD and psychedelic-assisted therapies, as well as the first structured dataset examining natural medicine use within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

A Stage IV cancer survivor, Chad brings lived experience to his work, alongside a career focused on building evidence-led systems that clinicians, researchers, and regulators can trust.

The Australian medicinal cannabis community is ten years young. How did you first find your way into this space?

In 2014, my journey in the medicinal cannabis community started when I was diagnosed with Terminal Stage IV Cancer. Surprisingly, my earliest introduction to the community was one of hesitancy and caution. Legalities aside, my belief systems were informed by a strong sense of criticism about the paranoia or cognitive deficits that may result from consuming cannabis. Consequently, I went through over a year of daily chemotherapy without any medicinal cannabis added into my life.

One day in 2015, the cancer returned more aggressively and spread to other parts of my body.On this day, at the very moment of walking out of the consulting room, a clear, memorable, and conscious thought passed through my mind. Those words were “why not try it”. 

Four years on, in 2019, OnTracka was founded in response to a series of observations made over more than five years while working closely across healthcare, research, and emerging treatment pathways.

During that time, it became clear that laws governing medicinal cannabis were shifting globally and domestically, creating new legal access pathways for patients. Jurisdictions such as California were often cited as early examples of this change. However, what stood out was that much of the momentum behind these reforms was driven by anecdotal accounts rather than structured clinical evidence.

This raised a fundamental question: how can clinicians responsibly engage with an emerging treatment area without access to consistent, real-world data that supports clinical decision-making? If prescribing is to sit within mainstream healthcare, it must be supported by evidence, transparency, and systems that clinicians can trust.

That question ultimately led to the creation of OnTracka. 

From the beginning, the focus at OnTracka was not on promotion or advocacy. But, on building infrastructure that could support high-quality research and structured real-world evidence generation. We believed that medicinal cannabis could play a meaningful role in the future of healthcare, but only if it was supported by data rather than stories alone.

What is the most meaningful lesson the cannabis plant has taught you?

The biggest learning has been patience. The plant was patient with me, and I’m patient with healthcare.

Healthcare does not change quickly, and neither do clinical behaviours or regulatory frameworks. We are living through a broader shift in how evidence is generated, how patients engage with care, and how emerging therapies are evaluated. Recognising this has reinforced the importance of long-term thinking, measured progress, and resisting the temptation to rush outcomes before the foundations are in place.

What three words capture your hopes for cannabis in Australia over the next ten years? 

First-line treatment. 

If you want a reliable, anonymous way to self-monitor progress, symptoms, wearable data, and dosing sessions, download the OnTracka app to stay across your medicines, mental health, and more.

The views, opinions, and statements expressed in this article are solely those of the individual contributor and do not represent, and should not be attributed to, Astrid. Astrid makes no claims. Contributors are not our patients – their experiences are shared with the sole intent to inform their inspiration behind driving change in the sector through their advocacy, research, or policy contributions.

2026 marks ten years since medicinal cannabis was legalised in Australia. To reflect on how far the industry has come, and where it’s headed next, we’re speaking with the people helping shape it. From early advocates, to scientific leaders working behind the scenes, this series captures the journeys, lessons, and hopes defining the first, and the next, decade of medicinal cannabis.

About Justin Sinclair

Justin Sinclair is a researcher and pharmacognosist, and currently serves as Chief Scientific Officer within the Australian medicinal cannabis industry. He has been working with medicinal cannabis in Australia since its earliest regulatory reforms. Trained in pharmacognosy, he has spent more than twenty-five years studying medicinal plants and fungi, with a focus on how plant-based medicines can be used safely and responsibly in patient care.

Justin was appointed to the Scientific Advisory Board of United in Compassion in 2015, contributing to the advocacy work that played a pivotal role in changing Australia’s medicinal cannabis laws. He has since played an ongoing role in shaping scientific standards and professional education across the sector, including advisory work with Cannabis Clinicians Australia (CCA) and board involvement with the Australian Medicinal Cannabis Association (ACMA).

He is currently completing doctoral research at the NICM Health Research Institute at Western Sydney University, investigating medicinal cannabis for endometriosis. Alongside his research, Justin has published widely and has been deeply involved in medicinal cannabis education, delivering over 150 lectures to healthcare professionals, industry leaders, and patient communities across Australia and New Zealand.

The Australian medicinal cannabis community is ten years young. How did you first find your way into this space?

I met Dan and Lucy Haslam at the first United in Compassion (UIC) Australian Medicinal Cannabis Symposium in Tamworth in 2014. I was deeply inspired by what they wanted to achieve, and given my background in pharmacognosy, I volunteered to the cause. I was welcomed with open arms, and joined the scientific advisory board of UIC in January 2015. 

This commenced a rather arduous and curious adventure down the rabbit hole of advocacy, education, and lobbying Federal and State politicians that eventually led to Dan’s Law being passed, and the associated regulatory frameworks we find ourselves with today. I consider it a great privilege to have worked alongside such a passionate and determined group of people in those early days, and every day since.

What is the most meaningful lesson the cannabis plant has taught you?

Cannabis has taught me that medicine is not solely about chemistry or receptor targets, but must include the lived realities of people navigating imperfect systems and complex diseases. Whilst cannabis is not a panacea that can address everything, for some, it addresses what nothing else could… and that makes it a medicine worth fighting for.

What three words capture your hopes for cannabis in Australia over the next ten years? 

Understanding, integration, and collaboration

To learn more about Justin’s ongoing work, you can follow him on LinkedIn. 

The views, opinions, and statements expressed in this article are solely those of the individual contributor and do not represent, and should not be attributed to, Astrid. Astrid makes no claims. Contributors are not our patients – their experiences are shared with the sole intent to inform their inspiration behind driving change in the sector through their advocacy, research, or policy contributions.

2026 marks ten years since medicinal cannabis was legalised in Australia. To reflect on how far the industry has come, and where it’s headed next, we’re speaking with the people helping shape it. From early advocates, to scientific leaders working behind the scenes, this series captures the journeys, lessons, and hopes defining the first, and the next, decade of medicinal cannabis.

About Rachel Payne

Victorian MP Rachel Payne is not your usual politician. Raised in a working-class community in Newcastle, she comes from humble beginnings. She left home at sixteen and has firsthand experience with welfare, government, housing, and legal services. She earned a master’s in public policy, and had a rich and varied life before politics. She held administrative, leadership and policy roles at Centrelink, the Eros Association, and the Family Court of Australia, and toured the world as an acclaimed burlesque performer. Motivated by social justice and community wellbeing, Rachel joined the Legalise Cannabis Party to reform outdated cannabis laws and unlock Victoria’s economic, environmental, and taxation opportunities.

The Australian medicinal cannabis community is ten years young. How did you first find your way into this space?

I am in my 40’s and have been a cannabis consumer most of my adult life to help manage my pelvic pain and anxiety. 

I say “pelvic pain” because “period pain” really doesn’t cover the burden of conditions like endometriosis and similar. Pelvic pain is debilitating for me and many other women, and at times leads to days off work and significant life impacts.

In managing anxiety, it is interesting that we accept “wine o’clock”, but downplay cannabis for slowing down busy minds and stressed bodies. I consider this use medicinal too.

What is the most meaningful lesson you’ve learnt about the cannabis plant?

She is such a beautiful, gentle plant! She’s been used for millennia by wise women. She’s versatile; a medicine, social relaxant, building material, fabric (and more), and she’s low-impact on both the earth and humans. There is a reason so many cultures have had “peace pipes.” 

I have learned to really respect her.

What three words capture your hopes for cannabis in Australia over the next ten years? 

Common Sense and Reform

To learn more about Rachel’s work, you can visit her website, or follow her on Facebook, X, Instagram, or LinkedIn. 

The views, opinions, and statements expressed in this article are solely those of the individual contributor and do not represent, and should not be attributed to, Astrid. Astrid makes no claims. Contributors are not our patients – their experiences are shared with the sole intent to inform their inspiration behind driving change in the sector through their advocacy, research, or policy contributions.

2026 marks ten years since medicinal cannabis was legalised in Australia. To reflect on how far the industry has come, and where it’s headed next, we’re speaking with the people helping shape it. From early advocates, to scientific leaders working behind the scenes, this series captures the journeys, lessons, and hopes defining the first, and the next, decade of medicinal cannabis.

About Paul O’Donoghue

Paul O’Donoghue is an educator, podcaster, and medicinal cannabis patient whose work sits at the intersection of cannabis use and mental health. He began his career in the Canadian cannabis industry during the early years of federal legalisation, before returning to Australia to advocate for more thoughtful drug policy and improved patient journeys.

He founded Give & Toke, a podcast and brand aimed at reducing stigma and elevating conversations around cannabis. Through this platform, Paul elevates the voices of patients, clinicians, policymakers, and industry leaders, to encourage more honest, culturally aware discussions about cannabis use.

The Australian medicinal cannabis community is ten years young. How did you first find your way into this space?

I came to medicinal cannabis looking for answers.

Like a lot of people, my early relationship with cannabis existed in the grey space between stigma and self-discovery. When medicinal access became possible in Australia, it reframed the plant for me completely. It went from something you had to justify using, to something that could be used with intention, safety, and support.

Over time, that personal experience turned into curiosity, and then responsibility. I started Give & Toke as a way to normalise conversations that felt missing at the time; patient voices, culture, humour, and honesty. 

Today, I sit in a space where I work within and respect highly regulated frameworks while still advocating for patients, authenticity, and greater access. That balance has shaped my journey.

What is the most meaningful lesson the cannabis plant has taught you?

The most meaningful lesson I’ve learned is that cannabis is deeply personal. The same plant can be grounding for one person, overwhelming for another, and ineffective for someone else entirely. That taught me early on that cannabis isn’t about chasing strength or trends, but about understanding context, the person, the condition, the dose, the delivery method, and even the environment it’s used in.

It also taught me humility. Cannabis is not a panacea, but when it’s respected and used intentionally, it can be an incredibly supportive tool.

I hope we move beyond treating cannabis as either a miracle or a menace, and instead treat it as a legitimate therapeutic and/or social option that deserves thoughtful regulation, honest education, and compassion for the people using it.

What three words capture your hopes for cannabis in Australia over the next ten years? 

Access, trust and maturity.

To learn more about the work Paul is doing, you can follow Give & Toke on Instagram or see more online at giveandtoke.com.au. You can also shop Give & Toke accessories online at Astrid Alchemy. 

The views, opinions, and statements expressed in this article are solely those of the individual contributor and do not represent, and should not be attributed to, Astrid. Astrid makes no claims. Contributors are not our patients – their experiences are shared with the sole intent to inform their inspiration behind driving change in the sector through their advocacy, research, or policy contributions.

This year, we commemorate 10 years of the legalisation of cannabis in Australia for medicinal and scientific purposes. On the 24th of February 2016, the federal government passed laws amending the Narcotic Drugs Act to allow the legal growing and sale of medicinal cannabis in Australia, and now the rapid growth of the medicinal cannabis market had sales projected to hit over $1 billion by the end of last year.

Australia, like many other countries, has a long and colourful history relating to the criminalisation and enforcement of cannabis use and cultivation. Changes to attitudes surrounding cannabis in the 1990s saw less draconian approaches to personal possession and use, alongside various polls suggesting increasing support from the public for legalisation. Throughout the 2000s we saw legalisation of industrial hemp, and in 2012, the TGA approved the first cannabinoid based medication; an oral spray called Sativex for the relief of muscle spasticity associated with MS.

In 2014, retired registered nurse Lucy Haslam and her late son, Daniel, founded what is now Australia’s primary medicinal cannabis advocacy body, United in Compassion (UIC). Daniel Haslam was a bowel cancer patient who achieved significant relief of his symptoms through the use of cannabis, and through his story and the founding of UIC, the issue of medicinal cannabis was propelled into the mainstream public awareness of Australians. The work of Lucy and Daniel Haslam through UIC was instrumental in achieving the federal legislative changes in 2016 that we commemorate and celebrate this year. UIC remains at the forefront of promoting education around the clinical uses of cannabis in addition to continuing to campaign for improved access to what many consider to be very important medication.

Since 2022, there has been a consistent and rapid increase in the sales of medicinal cannabis products, from around 1.68 million units to 6.59 million units in 2024, as reported by the Penington Institute. Currently, there are no shortages in clinics prescribing cannabis, and pharmacies willing to dispense prescriptions for medicinal cannabis products are not as hard to find as they were just 5 years ago. Numbers from 2025 have shown no exponential growth in medicinal cannabis sales for the first time since 2022, perhaps demonstrating a plateau in patient demand, or an inability of our current systems to facilitate access to other potential patients.   

So I suppose, the question being asked now, is where to from here? No one can really say for sure. But what we do know is that medicinal cannabis has been legitimate medicine for enough people that word from the TGA is that it’s here to stay. 

In fact, last year the TGA put out a call-out to all players in the Australian medicinal cannabis industry to submit their ideas for how to manage medicinal cannabis moving forward. The TGA is still sifting through all the submissions and it might take some time to see what direction they decide to take, but in the spirit of what UIC is all about, I would love to see an ongoing commitment to those values, particularly removing barriers to access.

One major barrier to access that we have seen some progress with (but quite frankly, not enough) are the driving laws. In most of Australia, it is still illegal to drive with any THC in your system. Now, to clarify, this is not about impairment; it is purely about whether you have THC in your system, and THC is a compound that tends to linger well past the time when effects have worn off. 

This makes many people who rely on driving every day reluctant to try THC based products from fear of getting into trouble with the law. Just to put this in perspective, you could be under the influence of a variety of different legal medications that cause impairment and would not get into any trouble if drug tested by police. But you could get in trouble if you happened to have some medicinal cannabis the night before, even though you show no signs of impairment. I believe this discriminates against patients using medicinal cannabis and needs to be addressed if we want to increase access.

The other major barrier for access, which comes as no surprise, is cost. This one is tricky, and the issues are multi-faceted. Prices for medicinal cannabis consults and prescriptions have become a lot more affordable over the last couple of years, however, the decrease in pricing in the current market means the cost is elsewhere. Often free consultations are part of a vertically integrated supply model where the patient has no flexibility in where they get their medication, or any agency to make choices about their treatment. Cheaper medicinal cannabis products can sometimes mean reduced product quality. So, despite some costs coming down, clearly the current system is not equitable. Because cannabis is still unapproved by the TGA and is only available via the special access scheme, there are no protocols within the current system to allow for its subsidisation. Which is just another incentive to find a better way to manage medicinal cannabis in Australia.

Despite people like me in the industry often highlighting the flaws within the current system, the fact that we have had medicinal cannabis legalised for 10 years in Australia, and the number of lives that it has helped improve, is ultimately something to be proud of. 

Cannabis has been an important part of human society for centuries, and while we have been slow to understand its benefits in the modern era, the work that has been done in the last decade proves that we are capable of radical change for the betterment of society. We have accomplished a lot, but as pointed out, there is still much to be done because true equity is not about everyone getting the same care, but about everyone being able to access the care they need. 

I would like to officially announce that Chemist Warehouse has signed an agreement to acquire Astrid. With Chemist Warehouse’s backing, we are able to supercharge Astrid’s growth, meaning:

• We will make your medicines more accessible
• We can build more Astrid’s closer to you
• We can grow our clinical care teams
• We will continue to improve access, education and advocacy

These are things we simply couldn’t achieve at scale on our own.

Truth is, medicinal cannabis continues to be one of the most highly regulated and resource-intensive industries in Australia. To continue providing ethical, elevated care – and to expand that care to more patients – we needed a partner who understood our vision, and could support our growth.

I want to be clear: Astrid’s values are not changing. Our patient-first approach, our commitment to integrity, our advocacy – all of this remains at the heart of what we do.

This is our opportunity to break the stigma in a meaningful way: cannabis could become a more accepted medicine with scale, with visibility, with investment, and with a team that continues to advocate loudly and unapologetically on behalf of our patients.

I am grateful to remain as CEO and will continue to lead Astrid with the same purpose and responsibility I always have. Your care remains the priority. The heart of Astrid isn’t going anywhere.

What this means for our community

I understand why this news may be unexpected. Astrid is personal — to me, to our staff, and to many of you who have trusted us with your health and your stories. That trust means everything.

Astrid is still Astrid — with the same heart, the same standards, and the same commitment to doing things the right way.

Thank you for trusting us with your health — that trust is something I will always protect.

We’re staying true to who we are.

We’re just gaining the support to reach more people who may need us.

Warmest,
Lisa Nguyen
Founder & CEO, Astrid

Published 12/12/2025.

Now, Victoria’s Inquiry into Women’s Pain, the first of its kind in Australia, has made it official. The pain gap is real, and it’s costing women their health, livelihoods, and sense of trust in the system.

More than 13,000 women, girls and gender diverse people shared their experiences of living with pain. What emerged was both deeply personal and profoundly systemic. 

The invisible weight of pain

Ninety percent of respondents said they had experienced pain that lasted more than a year, with 54% experiencing it daily and 31% experiencing it constantly.

Conditions like endometriosis, fibromyalgia, migraines and musculoskeletal disorders were common, but the real through-line was exhaustion; physical, emotional, and financial.

Pain didn’t stay in one place. It spilled into work, relationships, hobbies, and mental health. Eighty-nine per cent said pain affected their psychological wellbeing. Fifty-nine per cent of respondents reported that pain affected their lifestyle and hobbies, 52% their intimate relationships, and 44% their work, studies, or volunteering. Many described fatigue, anxiety, and a constant sense of being on edge. Some compared it to living “in a bubble of hell.” And while the symptoms varied, the impact was universal: life, in one way or another, had become smaller.

It’s all in your head

The most frequent story shared was one of dismissal. Seventy-one per cent of women said they were ignored or minimised by healthcare professionals. Many were told their pain was “normal,” “hormonal,” or “psychosomatic.” For others, the message was subtler but just as damaging; a raised eyebrow, a rushed appointment, an unspoken doubt.

This pattern doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Medicine, as the report notes, was built largely on male biology. The result being diagnostic tools, treatment guidelines, and research that don’t reflect women’s realities. It’s why women wait longer for diagnoses, receive less pain relief than men in emergency departments, and are more likely to be prescribed antidepressants instead of investigations.

The cost of being believed

Even when women did find care that helped, it came at a price. Sixty-eight per cent said the cost of treatment was a barrier, with many spending thousands on specialists, surgeries, and therapies that weren’t covered by Medicare. Those in rural areas faced additional travel and time off work, while carers described the strain of supporting loved ones through years of uncertainty.

The report captures stories of people who emptied savings, paused careers, or were met with care that centred reproduction over relief. For some, the financial and emotional toll was so severe it shaped every decision that followed.

Silence is the real problem 

What makes this report powerful isn’t just the data. It’s the conversations it has started. They reveal that women’s pain is not rare or exaggerated, it’s under-researched, under-treated, and under-believed.

It shows how cultural biases around gender, weight, race, sexuality and disability compound into neglect. It shows that pain is not just a medical issue but a social one, influencing how women work, parent, rest, and participate in community life.

Most of all, it shows how change begins when people are finally asked to speak openly, and have the opportunity to be heard.

What have we learnt? 

The Inquiry distilled thousands of individual stories into five clear truths about the experience of women’s pain, and the systemic failures that perpetuate it.

1. Unmet healthcare needs

Most women who sought medical help for their pain didn’t get the support they needed. Dismissal and inadequate treatment are common, eroding confidence and trust in healthcare itself.

2. Gaps in research and representation

The lack of sex and gender-specific research continues to undermine pain management. When the data doesn’t reflect women’s realities, the diagnosis rarely does either.

3. Gender bias in healthcare

Bias still shapes how pain is perceived, prioritised, and treated. Cultural norms, stereotypes and language barriers mean women’s pain is more likely to be minimised or mistaken for something emotional instead of physical.

4. Barriers across communities

Not all women face the same challenges, but many face more than one. Women in regional and rural Victoria, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, LGBTIQA+ communities and women with disabilities encounter added layers of distance, cost, and discrimination when trying to access care.

5. A call for change

Above all, women want to be heard without bias or judgment. Pain is multifaceted and experienced by girls and women in many ways. Interventions are required on physical, psychological, and social levels to make a lasting difference for Victorian girls and women.

A collective turning point

The Inquiry signals more than awareness. It signals accountability, and the start of a new conversation that moves beyond surviving pain to understanding it. It’s a historic shift in Australian healthcare. For the first time, women’s pain has been recognised not as anecdotes, but as data: measurable, undeniable, and impossible to ignore. It reframes pain as a public health issue, not a personal burden, and demands that research, policy and clinical practice finally catch up.

At Astrid, we see this as a call to rebuild the system from the inside out. One rooted in representation, credible science, and care that treats women as the experts of their own bodies. Listening is the beginning. Belief, action, and structural change must follow.

Astrid’s submission focussed on building a medical system that protects patients when it comes to access, products and transparency. Our Senior Pharmacist Nour, who worked on Astrid’s submission, shares his views.

Medicinal cannabis has been legal in Australia since 2016, and according to the Penington Institute, Australians were spending approximately $402 million on medicinal cannabis in the first six months of 2024, almost double the 2022 figure of $235 million.  This surge in medicinal cannabis use has had the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration revisit the current medicinal cannabis model and reach out to the wider cannabis industry about what improvements and changes can be made to the current model.

While we welcome the TGA’s consultation, and their readiness to work with health professionals to create a safer and more streamlined access model for medicinal patients, I would like to highlight that one of the key factors in creating a better medicinal system would be the introduction of a legalised and regulated adult-use market.  This would help differentiate cannabis users who perhaps do not need medical guidance and are more likely to be using cannabis recreationally.  This would not only free up resources to help manage medicinal cannabis better, it would also mean that doctors, pharmacists and nurses are not being inundated constantly to provide whatever new cannabis flower is being hyped on social media platforms every other week.

The reality of a legalised adult-use market in Australia is looking very unlikely in the near future and so we are going to have to contend with making the best of the system we currently have, and to that effect, Astrid Clinic and Dispensary have, along with many other professionals in the industry, submitted a submission for the TGA consultation.  

When medicinal cannabis was made legal and introduced to the Australian market, the TGA prioritised ease of access to the market for manufacturers and suppliers, but cannabis was made a controlled schedule 8 drug, available only via the TGA’s Special Access Scheme pathway.  This has created a space where the supply of cannabis is heavily regulated between prescribers and patients, but not nearly as much oversight when it comes to manufacturing and wholesale.  What we now have is a medicinal cannabis market with over 1500 different products with more than half of those being different strains and strengths of dried cannabis flower. 

Now, for those not familiar, the TGA’s Special Access Scheme is designed to give Australian citizens access to medications unapproved for use in Australia.  Generally, this was a pathway to access highly specialised drugs for very specific circumstances.  Sometimes experimental, but most times short term.  Having around 100 different strains of a product with the same concentration of the active ingredient (in this case, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) does not in any way fill a missing therapeutic need.  If anything, the number of products far exceeds any perceived therapeutic benefit.

So as you can perhaps start to understand, even without seeing how this plays out in practice, is a pathway for access that is not in-line with how medicinal cannabis is being prescribed or used, and while it remains an unapproved medicine, the current special access scheme clearly no longer makes sense in this context anymore.  Hence, amongst our recommendations is the consideration of a more streamlined pathway specifically for medicinal cannabis to make ordering quicker and easier for pharmacies and patients.

You may be wondering, if there is no additional therapeutic need then how are there so many strains of flower coming onto the market almost every other week?  Currently, a loophole allows manufacturers without an import licence to use an existing wholesaler to sponsor them to bring products into the market, which means, anyone with a bit of capital can find suppliers locally or overseas, and start bringing products in.  These are often smaller companies, owned and operated by people who are not healthcare professionals and sometimes very obviously targeting a recreational market.  In some cases, there have been limited-edition products, or small batch grows which is an absolutely bizarre concept to exist for a prescribed medicine.  Our recommendation to the TGA is to remove this loophole, as the Therapeutic Goods Administration, they should be regulating necessary therapeutic goods not facilitating the import of unnecessary additions to an already flooded market.

Just to clarify, I would love nothing more than to see an adult use market with a plethora of products, but our market as it currently exists is a medical market and it should be treated as such.  If decriminalisation were to become a reality any time soon, then we would likely see our medicinal cannabis model struggle to stay afloat if no real work is done now to protect this medical stream of access for the future.  Penington’s report estimates the illicit cannabis market is worth $5 billion, suggesting many people are “self-medicating” (and have for years) but a large number of medicinal cannabis patients will always need the guidance and support of doctors and pharmacists, so it is imperative that what we have is protected and streamlined to ensure safety, quality and accessibility to patients who need it most.

Speaking of maintaining the integrity of the medical model, our last major recommendation was for all manufacturers of medicinal cannabis products to comply with standardised and consistent professional labeling practices.  This means making sure that these medicines look like medicines and have all the relevant clinical and safety information clear for patients to see.  Currently, there are products with fancy and overly colourful packaging that could be mistaken for a bag of lollies, which poses a big risk for parents with young children.  There are products with well designed, artistic boxes with cool little slogans on them but that is not what we expect medicine to look like, and manufacturers of prescription medications should not be promoting their products directly or indirectly.  However these suppliers are clearly trying to create an experience for customers who buy their products but the suitability of medication in Australia is meant to be decided by the doctors and pharmacists.  Then there are manufacturers who make all their products look identical, which makes separating products for pharmacists unnecessarily complicated and could increase the risk of dispensing errors.  And as you can imagine, with how relatively easy it is to bring a product to market, there are a slew of products with barely legible writing, missing barcodes and unclear information.

For medicinal cannabis to be taken seriously in the wider healthcare space these are all considerations that need to be made and standardised to hopefully not just remove the stigma still associated with using cannabis, but also to make access for the patients who need it more seamless and safe.  In the absence of an adult-use market, we believe it is imperative to solidify our medical market for the future and to help set a precedent for any other emerging natural therapies that may come.

Every woman’s experience is different, and while hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has long been a go-to treatment, it’s not suitable or appealing for everyone. Concerns about side effects, contraindications, or simply wanting alternatives have many women looking elsewhere. Increasingly, that search leads to medicinal cannabis.

What Research Shows So Far

Cannabis for menopause is a new frontier, and hard evidence is still limited. To date, there have been no large clinical trials specifically testing cannabis as a treatment for menopause symptoms. That means doctors don’t yet have definitive answers on efficacy, optimal dosing, or safety for this specific use. However, early research and surveys provide some insights. 

A Harvard-led study found nearly 80% of midlife women who used cannabis reported it helped with sleep or mood disturbances. In Canada, a 2023 survey showed one in three women over 35 were cannabis users, and that most were using it for medical reasons like sleep issues (65%), anxiety and mood (45%), or joint pain and muscular aches (33%). Encouragingly, almost three-quarters said cannabis was helpful for their symptoms.

These findings align with what we know biologically. Cannabinoids like THC and CBD interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which helps regulate mood, sleep, and temperature; areas directly affected during menopause. That said, there are no large clinical trials yet, so evidence remains limited.

Here in Australia, research is starting to close that gap. Western Sydney University’s NICM Health Research Institute and industry partner Cannim have launched the MenoCann study to explore medicinal cannabis for menopause symptoms. 60 women aged 45–65 will be prescribed medicinal cannabis for six months. The primary goal is to see if cannabis can improve sleep quality, with secondary measures including anxiety levels, frequency of hot flushes, mood/depression, cognitive function, and overall quality of life.

Astrid Health works with NICM on clinical trials for endometriosis, and supports their expansion into menopause research. Results from MenoCann will provide much-needed clarity for women and doctors alike.

Barriers and Stigma

Despite the growing interest, access to medicinal cannabis isn’t straightforward. Women are less likely than men to receive a medicinal cannabis prescription, and many don’t feel comfortable telling their doctors they use it. In one Canadian survey, most women consulted had not discussed their cannabis use with their healthcare providers. Cost is also often mentioned as a barrier for women seeking cannabis care. Because of these barriers, a concerning trend is that some women turn to illegal or unregulated markets to obtain cannabis, risking products with no quality control or dosing guidance. Others rely on friends or the internet for information, which isn’t always reliable.

Reducing stigma is essential. Whether someone is personally for or against cannabis, the reality is women are already using it. It’s crucial to bring these conversations into the clinic, where risks and benefits can be weighed alongside other treatments. 

How Do Medical Professionals Feel About It?

From a medical standpoint, the emerging theme is cautious optimism. On one hand, there’s hope that cannabis might offer relief for menopause symptoms. After all, many women are finding it helpful and some doctors see potential. On the other hand, there’s resistance because of the lack of formal study. 

Advocates argue that menopause care shouldn’t be limited to a single approach. Melanie Wentzel, who is involved in the NICM/Cannim study, remarked that it shouldn’t be “HRT or the highway” when it comes to menopause treatment. Women deserve to explore and understand all options, including medicinal cannabis, and make informed decisions about what works for them.

Cannabis shows promise for menopause symptoms, but experts emphasise it should be part of a broader plan, not a replacement for proven therapies like HRT. A balanced approach might mean combining conventional treatments with lifestyle changes, counselling, or, where appropriate, medicinal cannabis.

Looking Forward

Menopause is personal, and women deserve options. Cannabis may not yet be a mainstream recommendation, but ongoing research like MenoCann is an important step toward understanding where it fits.

This Menopause Awareness Month, Astrid Health is proud to support a more open, informed conversation about symptom relief. Women shouldn’t have to navigate menopause in silence. Whether relief comes from HRT, counselling, or emerging therapies like cannabis, the goal is the same: better support, better health, and a better quality of life. 

If you or someone you love is going through menopause, know that you’re not alone and that many avenues for relief, old and new, are being explored. Always consult with healthcare professionals when trying a new therapy, and stay tuned as science catches up with women’s real-life experiences. 

If you’re looking to explore integrative and holistic treatment options, book a free call with one of our friendly nurses today.

I pay my respects to First Nations elders, past, present and emerging, and as a healthcare professional dedicated to justice and fair access for all, I acknowledge that sovereignty has never been ceded, treaties have never been signed and I am honoured to work on what was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.

With NAIDOC Week celebrations being held across Australia, we discussed how our dispensary could get involved in recognising the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Since NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories, we, as a natural therapies clinic and dispensary have decided to dig into the history and tradition of Aboriginal plant use in what is often called ‘bush medicine’.

Bush medicine refers to ancient and traditional medicines used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Australian First Nations people have been using various components of native Australian flora and some fauna as medicine for millennia, and some still turn to healers in their communities for these natural medicines aimed at providing both physical and spiritual healing. While the use of bush medicine has declined, partly due to the loss of information, this can primarily be attributed to the ongoing effects of colonisation and policies made to eradicate Aboriginal peoples and their culture, such as the Stolen Generation. In Aboriginal culture, information is not passed on through writing, but through oral traditions, which means records do not last without a living culture. Without traditional ceremonies, this millennia of knowledge that Aboriginal elders hold could be lost.

Despite this, Professor Joanne Jamie, a medicinal chemist from Macquarie University, in Sydney, has managed to compile a database on Aboriginal plants and we have listed the most common Indigenous bush medicines as first summarised by Australian Geographic:

Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)

The Bundjalung people from the New South Wales coast crushed tea-tree (or paper bark) leaves and applied the paste to wounds, as well as brewing it as a tea for throat ailments. In the 1920s, scientific experiments showed that the antiseptic potency of tea-tree oil was actually stronger than commonly used antiseptics of the time. Since then, the oil has been used to treat everything from acne to fungal infections.

Eucalyptus oil (Eucalyptus sp.)

Eucalyptus oil is perhaps one of the, if not the most commonly used, of the traditional Bush medicines. Eucalyptus leaves were often infused and used as a treatment for body aches and fevers. These days, Eucalyptus oil is commercially available in mouthwash, cough medicine and throat lozenges.

Kakadu plum/Billy goat plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana)

This native fruit from the woodlands of the Northern Territory and Western Australia is one of the world’s richest sources of Vitamin C. The plum has 50 times the Vitamin C of oranges, and was a major source of food for tribes in the areas where it grows. The Kakadu plum tree was also of great value as the inside of the bark was used for treating various skin ailments and infections. Currently, kakadu plums are being used as a food, preservative and even a cosmetic ingredient.

Desert mushrooms (Pycnoporus sp.)

This genus of mushrooms is distinguished from most others because of its bright red-orange colour. One would suck on the desert mushroom to cure a sore mouth or lips. It has been known to be a kind of natural teething ring, and was used for teething babies and babies with oral thrush.

Emu bush (Eremophila sp.)

Northern Territory tribes used preparations of emu bush leaves to wash sores and cuts and occasionally it was even used as a mouth gargle. In the last 10 years or so, leaves from the plant were found to have similar strengths as some commonly used antibiotics. Scientists in South Australia have expressed interest in experimenting with the plant for sterilising implants (e.g. artificial hips).

Witchetty (Witjuti) grub (Endoxyla leucomochla)

Witchetty (Witjuti) grubs are the larvae of a species of cossid moth that are endemic to Australia. Traditionally, a source of bush tucker, some communities in Central Australia also crushed witchetty grubs to make a paste and placed it on burns. The burn is then bandaged up to seal and soothe the skin.

Snake vine (Tinospora smilacina)

Tinospora smilacina is a woody vine, called Wararrkaji in Walmajarri. Central Australian communities used to crush sections of the vine to treat headaches, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. The sap derived from the leaves was also used as a wound treatment.

Sandpaper fig (Ficus opposita) and stinking passion flower (Passiflora foetida)

Sandpaper figs are a species of fig native to the Northern Territory and Queensland. Interestingly enough, the stinking passion flower is not endemic to Australia and was introduced to parts of Northern Australia in 1880. Despite it being an invasive species, northern coastal communities used stinking passion flower in combination with sandpaper figs to relieve itching. Rough leaves of the sandpaper fig are crushed and soaked in water, then rubbed on the place of itching until it bleeds. The pulped fruit of the stinking passion flower is then spread onto the affected area. The leaves, and sometimes the sap, of the sandpaper fig have also been used to treat fungal infections of the skin, such as tinea.

Kangaroo apple (Solanum laciniatum and Solanum aviculare)

Kangaroo apple, also known as New Zealand nightshade, is a flowering plant species native to the East Coast of Australia and New Zealand. First Nations communities in Australia used the fruit as a dressing for swollen joints as the plant contains a steroid which helps in the production of cortisone. The unripe fruit was also traditionally boiled by some communities and used as an oral contraceptive for women.
The unripe fruit, and leaves of the kangaroo apple contain an alkaloid called solasodine. S. aviculare is now cultivated in Russia and Hungary for the solasidine, which is extracted and used in the production of steroid-based contraceptives.

Goat’s foot (Ipomoea pes-caprae)

Goat’s foot is common on the sand dunes of the upper north coast of New South Wales, and can also be found along the entire Queensland coastline. Communities from northern Australia and parts of New South Wales crushed and heated the leaves, then applied them directly to the skin for pain relief from sting ray and stone fish stings.

As we continue our work in health that celebrates the power of plants, it’s vital we acknowledge the deep well of knowledge held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Bush medicine is not just a practice of the past. It’s a living, breathing tradition that deserves recognition, respect, and protection. This NAIDOC Week, may we listen more deeply, learn more openly, and honour the custodians of the oldest continuing culture on Earth.

For holistic health to live up to its name, it must account for the full picture: mental, emotional, physical, cultural, and spiritual wellbeing.

Across the world, treatments like Ayurveda, spiritual healing, and community-led care have long supported health in ways Western medicine is only beginning to acknowledge. When we make space for these diverse perspectives, we don’t just make health more inclusive, we make it more effective.

Strong social ties and cultural belonging are powerful predictors of health. It has been found that social isolation and loneliness are associated with a 29% and 26% increased risk of all-cause mortality, respectively. Meanwhile, studies on Indigenous and ethnic minority communities consistently show that a strong cultural identity is linked to better mental health and resilience, even in the face of structural disadvantage. 

Community and culture aren’t just social features; they’re health tools. They influence how people understand symptoms, access support, and navigate recovery. In many cultures, illness is seen as relational or spiritual, not just physical, and healing might involve prayer, ceremony, or traditional remedies alongside medical care.

Sri Lanka offers a compelling example of how traditional medicine coexists with modern care. Ayurveda is a holistic system of traditional Indian medicine that focuses on restoring balance in the mind, body, and spirit. The country’s Ayurvedic system is deeply embedded in public health: around 40–59% of the population regularly uses Ayurveda for everyday health needs. These practices are not “alternative”. They’re trusted, government-supported, and widely used. In rural communities, people often consult Ayurvedic practitioners for injuries, digestive issues, and chronic pain before seeking Western treatment.

Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 170 countries, making up 88% of WHO Member States, acknowledge the use of traditional and complementary medicine in their national health systems, a testament to the cultural relevance of these practices. From acupuncture in China to curanderos in Latin America, people around the world seek care that reflects their beliefs, values, and context.

Rather than dismissing these systems, a growing movement within global health is calling for respectful integration. When traditional practices are combined with evidence-based care, and when patients feel seen in their cultural identity, outcomes often improve. Respect is a form of medicine, too.

Culture also shapes how people perceive mental health, and how willing they are to seek help. In Japan, societal values like endurance, privacy, and “saving face” have historically contributed to silence around psychological distress. Mental illness is still heavily stigmatised, and only around 6% of Japanese people have ever used counselling services, compared to more than 50% in countries like the US and UK. 

This reluctance has real consequences. Japan has a high suicide rate among developed nations, and issues like hikikomori (severe social withdrawal) remain widespread. But things are shifting. Data compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare based on statistics from the National Police Agency shows there were 20,268 suicides in Japan in 2024. This was a decrease of 1,569 from the previous year and the second-lowest total since records began in 1978. New government suicide prevention policies, growing mental health education in schools, and a younger generation more open to therapy are beginning to move the dial.

The lesson? Mental health care isn’t just about access, it’s also about cultural framing. Messaging, language, and treatment approaches must reflect how people see the world. Without that, support can miss the mark.

Every year, the Nordic nations top the World Happiness Report. Countries like Finland, Denmark, and Norway consistently rank highest for life satisfaction, and they also boast strong public health outcomes, from long life expectancy to low mortality rates, especially from preventable and treatable causes.

What sets them apart is not just money. It’s a culture of trust, equality, and social support. These countries offer universal healthcare, generous parental leave, and policies that promote work-life balance. In Norway, for instance, the average workweek is between 27-34 hours, leaving more time for rest, relationships, and joy. 

Happiness itself has been linked to better immune function, lower inflammation, and longer life expectancy. But the takeaway isn’t that we all need to live like Scandinavians. It’s that health thrives where people feel secure, supported, and socially connected. And that looks different in every culture.

So what happens when healthcare ignores cultural context? People disengage. They delay care. They feel misunderstood, or worse, discriminated against.

Culturally responsive care isn’t just idealistic, it improves outcomes. Studies show that when providers reflect the communities they serve and adapt care to cultural needs, patient satisfaction and adherence increase. In Indigenous communities, working alongside traditional healers has improved health outcomes and trust in public health programs.

Representation matters at every level, from the clinic to the lab. When medical studies include diverse populations, treatments become more effective for more people. When practitioners speak your language or understand your worldview, care feels safer.

A holistic health system benefits everyone. Holistic health means seeing the whole person, and that includes their cultural, spiritual, and community roots. Wellness takes many forms. What unites them is a sense of connection: to self, to others, to place, and to tradition.

At Astrid Health, we believe that diversity is not a barrier to health, it’s the key to it. By listening deeply, making space for different ways of healing, and celebrating cultural knowledge, we can create a system where everyone sees themselves reflected in their care.

Health isn’t just what happens in a clinic. It’s what happens in a community. Follow @astrid.dispensary and see how we’re reimagining care — with heart, with purpose, with you.

At Astrid, our nursing team is a crucial part of how we support patients– combining clinical knowledge with practical, compassionate care. To mark the occasion, we sat down with one of our nurses to talk about their path into the profession, the realities of working in medicinal cannabis, and the moments that make it all worthwhile.

What inspired you to join the medicinal cannabis industry and in particular, Astrid? 

In my previous roles in surgical nursing, palliative care, and general practice, I often encountered patients who weren’t finding the relief they needed through conventional treatments alone. Having had similar experiences myself, I felt an even stronger drive to be part of a healthcare space that offers clinically supported alternative treatments. That’s what helped lead me to this industry and to Astrid – we provide an opportunity to support people more holistically. I’m especially passionate about challenging the stigma around natural therapies and helping both patients and clinicians feel more informed and confident through education and evidence-based care.

What do you love most about working at Astrid? What do you think sets Astrid apart from other clinics or dispensaries?

The balance between considered patient care and strong teamwork. At Astrid, we’re encouraged to think critically, share ideas openly, and take responsibility for our clinical decisions. It’s not about rushing to quick fixes – we take the time to do things properly. That same mindset flows into how we care for patients. We take the time to listen, communicate openly, and focus on what could help them feel better in the long run.

How has working at Astrid shaped your perspective on patient care?

It’s made me more aware of how important it is to meet patients where they are. Patients come to us with different levels of knowledge, comfort, or even skepticism about natural therapies. Offering guidance while creating a space where they feel comfortable to share their story and experiences has become an even more integral part of my approach to quality nursing care. Real impact comes not from just treating symptoms, but from guiding people toward taking better control of their health.

Book a free 10-minute nurse call with Liv here.

The smell of election (amongst other things) is in the air, and as always, voters re-visit the issues that are important to them.  As professionals working in the cannabis industry there is always a conversation about whether there is a case to be made for full-scale cannabis decriminalisation and legalisation in Australia and I honestly believe that this is unlikely to happen any time soon.

Some might argue that I am perhaps being a bit pessimistic, and that with loud enough voices we can see real change in the space.  While cannabis accessibility has improved, the current medical model is restrictive in a variety of ways, and one may argue, unnecessarily so.  For a certain segment of patients who may be more recreationally-inclined (for lack of a better term), the current model has effectively turned many doctors into dealers, and allowed for the creation of vertically integrated cannabis conglomerates who have exploited these restrictive frameworks to lock ‘patients’ into their ecosystems. 

This has essentially created a legal cannabis market, that is not ‘medicinal’ in the intended use of the word, with prescriptions instead just becoming the loophole to access cannabis.  So it would make sense to dispense with this charade and instead create a more honest and accessible framework for acquiring cannabis outside the evidently flawed so-called medical model.      

I get it, and I am all for it. I just do not think the conversation is going anywhere right now and any attempts to raise the above issues with policy makers is likely to fall on deaf ears (as it has time and time again).  We might have to put any hope for radical changes on hold simply because the current system, with all its flaws, is perhaps the most politically convenient way of managing cannabis in Australia right now.  For people who fought for its legalisation, it is legal with conditions, and as alluded to, easy enough to access.  For the more conservative voting block, it is still technically illegal without a prescription and so you have two opposing sides of the issue appeased.

Dumping the management of cannabis onto the Therapeutic Goods Administration and healthcare providers, means the politicians of the two major parties are free to deal with the issues that get them votes (like dropping the price of eggs) and hence why I do not see any time or effort going into the legalisation of cannabis any time soon.  Cannabis use in Australia is not as endemic to the culture as it is in the United States and we have to contend with the reality that it is not a big vote-grab issue for the ALP, and obviously not the LNP.  (This particular issue is actually a good case-study in highlighting the limitations of our two-party system at getting things done for the betterment of society as a whole, but that’s an opinion for another day).

I bring this up because people often ask us when we think cannabis will be fully legalised and I suppose I am trying to expand on the answer of ‘not any time soon’.  There are a number of activists and even dedicated parties who are vocal about this issue, and part of me maybe thinks that given the aforementioned reality of the situation then perhaps our energy could be focused elsewhere? 

Instead of advocating for what is being called ‘adult-use’ legalisation, perhaps we invest some time and effort into enhancing the current medicinal model we do have.  The amount of products currently on the Australian cannabis market far exceed any logical therapeutic need, so instead of new cannabis companies coming to market every month with fancy exotic strains or different flavoured gummies I would like to see investment in training community GPs about cannabis medicine.  There is so much positive feedback from patients after beginning medicinal cannabis, but they are forced to go through separate specialised clinics that do not know them, or are familiar with their history.  Instead of patients seeking out medicinal cannabis as an alternative to their current therapies, it would be ideal if their regular physician knew enough about it to prescribe it to them alongside their regular medication.  This not only ensures continuity of care, but also means patients will not need to pay extra to see doctors who only prescribe one type of medication.

If medicinal cannabis products get prescribed more regularly as part of doctors’ general practice then we not only safeguard the medical system for the future but also increase accessibility to more patients and reduce the monopolisation of online cannabis services who seem to put profits before patient care (because, to them they are not patients, but customers).  Training more doctors and pharmacists in medicinal cannabis ensures that if adult-use legalisation does occur, then we have the healthcare professionals who will maintain a viable medicinal stream for patients who would rather not purchase through an adult-use market.  Furthermore, it would help build and establish the infrastructure for non-biased cannabis education that would help inform future regulation.  Legalisation now though, would likely see a mass exodus of actual health professionals from the cannabis space and perhaps inadequate care for people who genuinely depend on this medicine for their livelihoods and require the guidance of doctors, pharmacists and nurses.

So again, if you ask me if I am supportive of legalisation, yes I clearly am.  However the political reality in Australia right now means this is not going to happen any time soon and I think we need to take this chance to more widely position cannabis medicine as not just an alternative, but a mainstream therapy that can be prescribed and accessed concurrently with patients’ other therapies.

Read Lisa’s opinion piece here.

Change rarely happens overnight. But it does happen when we believe in it enough to start. 

Lucy Haslam changed Australian law because she refused to accept the status quo. She believed in a better system for patients, she pushed the conversation forward, and she helped legalise medicinal cannabis in Australia.

The next steps—expanding access, building trust within the medical community, and strengthening the role of plant medicine in mainstream healthcare—require the same hope and persistence that Lucy Haslam showed.

At Astrid, we hold onto that same belief in change. As its founder, I believe in legalisation of adult-use cannabis. I believe it will happen in the coming years. And I believe it can and should co-exist with a medicinal market.

Of course, the path ahead won’t be easy. There’s no denying that cannabis reform faces major political hurdles. The two-party system does not currently prioritise cannabis legalisation, and the path ahead will be slow and complex. But if we only look at today’s political landscape, we miss the bigger picture: it’s not just about this election. It’s about the next decade. 

Change doesn’t start with Parliament. It starts with people, then policy, then progress. Without hope, conversations, and action at every level, nothing moves. This is why advocacy matters, and why Astrid will always be part of those conversations. 

While full adult-use legalisation may not happen this year, the momentum is undeniable—and the signs of progress are everywhere.

In 2024, Astrid was honoured to present evidence to the Senate during the Greens’ cannabis legalisation bill discussions — a powerful reminder that our voice, and our patients’ voices, are being heard at the highest levels of government.

Beyond the Senate floor, the broader movement is only growing stronger. The Legalise Cannabis Party is larger, more organised, and more visible than ever, running candidates across the country and pushing real healthcare reform onto the political agenda.

Across the industry, there is also widespread support for leaders like Fiona Patten, who are championing improvements to medicinal cannabis access and calling for federal Senate enquiries into smarter, evidence-based regulation.

This election may not deliver everything at once. But it can send a clear message: cannabis reform is no longer a fringe issue. It’s growing. It’s gaining momentum. And it’s only getting louder.

At Astrid, we are proud to be part of this progress—but our focus remains where it always has been: on our community. Astrid is not a political organisation. We are patient-led and community-driven. We work closely with policymakers, advocacy groups, and health professionals to make sure our community’s needs are represented at every level. 

Our community wants better access.

Our community supports smarter regulation.

Our community deserves to be heard.

And when our community’s needs align with political movements like the Legalise Cannabis Party, we stand alongside them in advocacy.

If we keep showing up, advocating, and believing in better, Australia’s cannabis future could look very different by 2030. Here’s what I envision for a Dual Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Market, with some key data from Penington Institute’s Cannabis in Australia 2024 Report:

1. Respecting Medical Integrity and Patient Needs: Medical cannabis users often have specific needs — clinical care, standardised dosages, pharmacist support. A separate, well-regulated medicinal cannabis program ensures that patients can access the right products under clinical guidance, without being lumped into the broader recreational system. In the first half of 2024 alone, Australians purchased 2.87 million units of medicinal cannabis—almost double the previous half-year figure—demonstrating just how critical and fast-growing this system is.

2. Expanding Access and Reducing Stigma: Adult-use legalisation removes the gatekeeping of access and helps destigmatise cannabis use. Many people who use cannabis for wellness — managing sleep, anxiety, or minor pain — may not want to go through the formal medical system. Adult-use legalisation empowers personal choice while encouraging responsible use. An estimated 700,000 Australians used cannabis for medical reasons in the past year, but only around 200,000 accessed it via prescription—showing a gap in access that adult-use reform could help address.​

3. Preventing Industry Monopolisation and Promoting Innovation: Opening an adult-use market can drive competition and improve affordability for all users. Medicinal-only markets can consolidate power; in 2023, 76% of medicinal cannabis sold was dried flower, while nearly 81% of imports came from Canada—highlighting the need for local innovation and broader access options.

4. Boosting Economic Growth and Tax Revenue: Regulated cannabis markets overseas generate billions in revenue. Australia’s $5 billion illicit market—currently controlled by criminal networks—could be redirected into health, education, addiction services, and community development. Economists estimate that legalising cannabis could convert this massive black market into a regulated, taxable industry.​

5. Enhancing Public Health and Safety: Regulation means oversight, testing, and consumer education. Australia spends an estimated $2.1 billion per year on cannabis law enforcement, with 90% of arrests targeting users—not suppliers. A regulated market can shift this focus toward harm reduction and safety.

6. Reflecting the Reality of Cannabis Use: Nearly half of all Australians have used cannabis. Legal frameworks should reflect lived realities—not criminalise them. 42.3% of adults report lifetime cannabis use, and 2.4 million used it in the past year. Legalisation isn’t radical—it’s a realistic response to how people already live.​

This future won’t build itself. It will take patience. Persistence. And powerful conversations that don’t stop after election day. True change isn’t only won at the ballot box, but the ballot box can be the beginning.

Even if full legalisation isn’t imminent, keeping cannabis on the agenda is essential. Every conversation matters. Every piece of advocacy matters. And together, I have high hopes that we can help shape a better future for cannabis care in Australia by advocating now, and beyond this election season. 

Read Nour’s opinion piece here.

In the weeks and months leading up to the election, The Legalise Cannabis Party MPs and candidates have been door knocking and speaking up louder than ever before to ensure they place a desired number on your ballot paper.

Election years come with an abundance of promises, policies and opinions. So we asked our Pharmacist Nour and Founder Lisa to share their opinions on the likelihood of legalisation of cannabis in this year’s election.

High Hopes or Delusion?  The Reality of Cannabis Legalisation in Australia.

Read Nour’s full piece here.

Hope Is Not a Fantasy. It’s A Force. 

Read Lisa’s full piece here.

Dr Thomas Arkell (BA, PhD) is a researcher in the field of psychopharmacology. Based at Swinburne University’s Centre for Mental Health and Brain Sciences, he is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, focused on understanding how cannabis affects the brain and human behaviour, with particular interest in its impact on cognition, driving ability, and day-to-day functioning. 

Alongside his research, Dr Arkell works closely with patients to explore the therapeutic potential of medicinal cannabis. His work is informed by a broader interest in the behavioural effects of psychoactive substances, including previous studies involving MDMA and alcohol.

Dr Arkell is part of the team leading the world-first Victorian Drug Driving Trial, a historic study commissioned by the Victorian Government. Swinburne University has been appointed the official research partner for the trial, which is the first of its kind in Australia to examine how medicinal cannabis affects driving performance under real-world conditions.

We invited the Astrid community to share their questions about the trial, then sat down with Dr Arkell to help answer them.

What motivated this trial, and what kind of change could it create for people using medicinal cannabis?

The Victorian Government is aware of the fact that more and more patients are using medicinal cannabis, and that the restriction on driving is an issue for them. The motivation for conducting the trial is to better understand whether Victorians who are prescribed medicinal cannabis (containing THC) can be in control of a vehicle without compromising their safety, or the safety of other road users.

The trial has been delayed multiple times between both the Andrews and Allan Governments. Are we on track to see results by the end of 2025, or is 2026 more realistic? 

We estimate the study will take around 18 months from the first drive. Once the study is completed, we will provide the results to the Department of Transport and Planning. The next steps are up to the Victorian Government. For more information about the trial and to keep updated as the trial progresses, you can go to our study website. 

How many participants are involved in the trial, and how were they selected? Is there diversity across gender, age, medical conditions, and dosage formats in the trial? 

The trial will involve 72 participants who will each complete several days of testing involving comprehensive assessments of driving performance, cognitive function, and a broad range of other measures, including blood and saliva samples and various questionnaires. The trial is enrolling an even number of males and females, an even number of people using oral and inhaled products, and an even number of people using medicinal cannabis for chronic pain, anxiety, and for sleep disorders. We have designed the trial to make it as representative and inclusive as possible. 

Why was a minimum dose of 2mg THC set for trial participants? 

This is to ensure the results are relevant to medicinal cannabis products that could theoretically impact driving performance. We wished to exclude CBD-only products that can still contain fractional amounts of THC but are not considered to be impairing.

Do you believe the results of this trial could influence cannabis-driving law reform in other states across Australia?

Our role is simply to undertake the study to the highest possible scientific standard and report back to the Government. We expect that other states will be interested in the results of the trial.

The work towards progressing cannabis as a more accepted medicine is welcomed. Do you know of any trials on the horizon that may need participants?

There are several trials happening across the country at the moment. Your best resource for this information is the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry which is where researchers are required to register their trials.

You will also find more information about our on-track driving trial on this page under the heading ‘An On-track Trial to Assess Driving from Medical Cannabis’.

As access to medicinal cannabis continues to grow, so too does the need for clear, research-backed guidance around its use – especially when it comes to driving and day-to-day safety. Trials like this mark an important step forward in shaping policy that reflects both science and lived experience.

We’re grateful to Dr Arkell for sharing his insights, and to our community for continuing to ask thoughtful, important questions. At Astrid, we remain committed to supporting informed, safe, and empowered choices in plant-based care.

To stay updated on the Victorian Drug Driving Trial, please visit the study website.

While popular culture has normalised (to some extent) the idea of edibles, the current medicinal market in Australia is still heavily geared towards cannabis flower and oils. The last year has seen a massive growth in medicinal cannabis edibles, and as always, we are here to break down the options, alongside the pros and cons of going edible.

To clarify, edibles in this context are not brownies, or the infamous Amsterdam space cake, or those hash cookies your obscure uncle bakes in an electric oven from his caravan in the bush. Medicinal cannabis edibles refer to medicinal cannabis products that have been designed and formulated to be taken orally and digested or absorbed under the tongue. Medicinal cannabis edibles exist currently in 2 forms in Australia, as sublingual wafers, and pastilles – more commonly known as gummies. 

Sublingual wafers are powdery tablet shaped edibles that are designed to dissolve under the tongue. Their advantage over pastilles is that they do not need to be chewed and so may be easier to take for patients who have trouble with solids and because some absorption occurs under the tongue, their onset of effect may be quicker than other edible forms.

Pastilles, or gummies, are, as the name suggests, soft and chewable flavoured products. In addition to the flavouring, gummies are also sweetened and the active ingredients (mostly THC and/or CBD) are evenly dispersed within a gelatin or pectin core that helps to mask the cannabis aftertaste making them a lot more palatable than other forms of cannabis medicine.

So, now the question remains, why go for an edible form of medicinal cannabis?

• Discreet: Cannabis gummies do not look like medicine and can be carried around anywhere. Patients can take their medication without fear of being asked what and why they are using it.
  
• Odourless: Unlike cannabis flower, or vape cartridges, there is no cannabis smell with gummies, which adds to their discretion and makes them easier to store and carry around, even in public.
  
• Convenient and device free: Once the suitable dose is achieved, there is nothing easier than taking your medication as a chewable gummy. No fiddling with syringes or packing expensive vaporiser devices.
  
• Dexterity friendly: Since there is no need to grind flower and pack vaporisers, or measure and administer the dose with a tiny syringe, edibles become a lot easier to use for people who have limited dexterity due to age, or other factors like arthritis.
  
• Ease of dosing: Doses are typically in the number of pastilles a patient takes which is much easier to manage, as opposed to an exact millimetre dosage of oil that needs to be measured, or amount of flower to be vaporised and number of inhalations (which can often be inconsistent).
  
• Taste: Unlike most oil products, gummies come in a variety of flavours and have been sweetened, making them vastly more pleasant-tasting to most patients. Most oil products tend to not be artificially flavoured, and so are not necessarily suitable for people who have serious taste-aversion issues.
  
• Long-lasting: The most notable advantage of medicated cannabis edibles, is that they have a much longer duration of action than inhaled cannabis. The effects of edibles can last up to 8-10 hours (depending on individual patients’ metabolism and other variables) making them a great option for long-term ongoing symptom relief.

As you can see, there are many advantages to edible cannabis formulations, making them an appropriate dosage form for a variety of different patients. However, it is imperative we are also clear about the disadvantages of using edibles and where they may not be the most appropriate dose forms.

While the duration of effect of edibles is prolonged, their onset of action is delayed compared to inhalable cannabis. Which means that when quick-acting relief is needed, they are not an appropriate dosing form. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that the delayed onset can lead to patients taking more than instructed, and once the higher dose takes effect, it may be overwhelming (to say the least). It is extremely important that – just like with all medicine – patients start low and go slow.

If you think edibles are an avenue you wish to explore, then talk to your prescribing doctor about whether or not it is an appropriate dosage form for you.

You can also book a call with one of our nurses to learn more.

For many of us, our reproductive health journeys involve navigating not just one diagnosis, but several interconnected conditions that impact our daily lives, fertility, and overall wellbeing.

The reality of multiple diagnoses

The reproductive system doesn’t exist in isolation. Hormonal imbalances or inflammatory processes that trigger one condition can create an environment where other conditions develop or worsen.

If you’ve been diagnosed with endometriosis and then later learned you also have adenomyosis, or if you’re managing PCOS alongside fibroids, you’re not alone. Research increasingly shows that these conditions frequently overlap, creating complex symptom patterns that can be challenging to untangle.

Understanding the connection between Endometriosis & Adenomyosis

Studies suggest that up to a third of women with endometriosis also have adenomyosis. 

While endometriosis involves tissue similar to the uterine lining growing outside the uterus, adenomyosis occurs when this tissue grows into the muscular wall of the uterus itself.

Both conditions:

• Share inflammatory pathways
• Respond to similar hormonal influences
• Can cause severe pain and heavy bleeding
• May impact fertility

PCOS and its reproductive neighbours

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome affects hormone levels, causing enlarged ovaries with cysts. While its primary characteristics differ from endometriosis and adenomyosis, research indicates that women with PCOS:

• May experience more severe symptoms if they also have endometriosis
• Can face compounded fertility challenges when multiple conditions are present
• Often deal with hormonal imbalances that can worsen other reproductive conditions

Fibroids and their friends

Uterine fibroids – benign growths within or on the uterus – are incredibly common, affecting between 40% to 80% of women by age 50. They frequently coexist with other conditions:

• The inflammation associated with endometriosis and adenomyosis may create an environment where fibroids thrive
• Hormonal shifts in PCOS can influence fibroid growth
• When present alongside adenomyosis, symptoms like heavy bleeding and pelvic pain can intensify

The challenge and the future  

One of the greatest frustrations for those with multiple reproductive conditions is the lengthy diagnostic journey. With symptoms often overlapping, it can take significant time to figure out which conditions are present and how they interact. A heavy period might be attributed to fibroids when adenomyosis is also contributing, or pain patterns typical of both endometriosis and adenomyosis might lead to incomplete treatment if only one condition is addressed.

While managing multiple reproductive health conditions presents unique challenges, there’s reason for optimism. Researchers are increasingly studying these conditions not in isolation, but in relation to one another. This holistic approach is already yielding insights that may lead to better diagnostic tools and more effective treatments.

Diagnosis can be a long and lonely journey. By sharing your story, you might help someone still searching for answers—and remind them they’re not alone.

*At Astrid, while we use the term ‘women’ in our endometriosis campaign, we recognise this reflects common but incomplete medical terminology. Endometriosis can affect people across the gender spectrum, and conventional language often fails to acknowledge this reality. We welcome and support all individuals affected by endometriosis, regardless of gender identity. 

Endometriosis has historically been diagnosed through surgery and until recently has been the only way of getting a definitive diagnosis. 

The most common surgical procedure for endometriosis is laparoscopy. This is when a thin telescope is inserted into the belly button to see and access the organs inside the abdomen and pelvis. If the surgeon sees anything abnormal during the procedure, then they can remove this (called a biopsy) and send it to a lab. In the lab they can confirm if the cells in the biopsy are from an endometriosis lesion or not.  This technique using biopsies is still the most accurate form of diagnosis at the moment. 

However there are quite a few drawbacks to using surgery to diagnose including

• Cost – depending on whether you are in the public or private system there can be quite a large out of pocket cost, from a few hundred up to over $10,000 dollars.
• Waiting times – because this is a surgical procedure it can’t be done in private rooms, but requires a hospital visit meaning that there needs to be availability of a surgeon, an anaesthetist, surgical nurses and usually a hospital bed afterwards This means there is often a long wait time – especially in the public system
• Risks – because it’s a surgical procedure it comes with risks getting an infection, major bleeding, and injury to important structures like the bowels or bladder. It also often takes about a month or more to recover from the surgery. 

Because of all of these factors, there has been a big effort to find ways to diagnose endometriosis that is low cost, non (or less) invasive, and low risk. Ideally something that can be done either at a doctors office, or even better, in the privacy of your own home. 

There are a number of different tests that are being developed, from saliva tests, to blood tests, and even vaginal swabs.  Unfortunately, at the moment, while some of these are quite promising, none seem ready for “prime time” usage. To have a good test you need to be able to make sure that people who have the disease get a positive result and those that don’t get a negative result. Getting too many false negatives or false positives can mean the test isn’t very useful and for most of these tests at the moment they are still needing to work on improving this. For example the blood test seems very accurate, but so far can only detect severe endometriosis. 

Over the past ten years or so, there has been an increasing ability to “see” endometriosis using imaging such as transvaginal ultrasound (TVUSS), an internal scan where the ultrasound wand is inserted into the vagina, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). While these aren’t able to be done at home, unless you happen to have an MRI machine in your back yard, they are much less expensive than surgery and the wait time is much less. 

It’s important to understand that there are different “stages” of endometriosis – ranging from superficial to deep. While these stages don’t correlate to the amount of pain or other symptoms, it’s usually much easier to “see” endometriosis when there is more of it. Not all types of endometriosis are yet reliably seen on an imaging test. For example, severe endometriosis with deep nodules and adhesions (bands of scarring which can attach to other organs) is easier to see than superficial endometriosis, which sometimes consists of a few deposits no larger than a few millimetres. 

So what this means is at the moment we can use TVUSS and MRI to “rule in” endometriosis. That means if you have endometriosis show up on a scan, we can be quite confident that you do have endometriosis – especially if it shows up with indicators of deep infiltrating endometriosis. But if you have a “clear” scan it doesn’t mean that you don’t have endometriosis. No test is perfect and, especially if you have superficial endometriosis, it can still be hard to spot. But things are improving – especially using new technologies like AI and machine learning. If you have a “clear” scan and have endometriosis symptoms then you should speak to your doctor as you might need to consider having surgery for a diagnosis, because a clear scan should never be taken as being definitive. 

At the moment, while we wait for the holy grail of a very accurate, cheap and non-invasive test, TVUSS is probably the best tool we have at the moment. It can be done in about 30-60 minutes, costs around $500 dollars or so, and you can often get a scan done within a few weeks of having a referral. 

Associate Professor Mike Armour is the Director of Research and an Associate Professor in reproductive health at NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University where he is currently running several clinical trials on endometriosis, menstrual health, and complementary medicine. Mike has published 120 peer reviewed articles on various aspects of women’s health including medicinal cannabis, Chinese medicine and acupuncture. Mike is also an author on several textbook chapters including several on medicinal cannabis for women’s health. Mike has had significant media attention on his work including 15 articles in The Conversation, an SBS Insight special on endometriosis, an SBS special on herbal medicine for period pain and over 300 pieces of international news media with an estimated readership of 80 million across over 100 countries including Channel 7 News, ABC News, and The Guardian.

Mike is heavily involved in research and treatment of endometriosis, and he is the complementary medicine expert on the endometriosis expert working group (EEWG) for the Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Gynaecologists (RANZCOG). Mike is also a World Endometriosis Society Ambassador, Academic lead of the Menstrual Cycle Research Network (MCRN) at Western Sydney University and Chair of the Australasian Interdisciplinary Researchers in Endometriosis (AIRE).

Mike is currently leading the EndoCann trials — a clinical study investigating medicinal cannabis for endometriosis — and is actively recruiting participants. Learn more or sign up here.

The following is an excerpt from Astrid founder Lisa’s chapter in the “Australian Guide to Living Well with Endo” by Maree Davenport.

Last year, my husband and I embarked on our fertility journey. I was diagnosed with PCOS and infertility, but the cause of my infertility was unknown. I know it sounds horrible, but I always knew that I’d eventually have fertility issues – I just knew. Just like how I knew my early childhood period onset was due to my sexual abuse. It is ironic now, after years of helping female patients with chronic pain and female health – that I am on my own female health journey. 

We went to multiple fertility doctors, changing fertility specialists not once, not twice but three times in a span of 12 months. Each time, we were told different things. Each time, we were expected to do another round of IVF. Each IVF round was more injections, more hormones, more pessaries, more blood tests, more tablets. It was exhausting, and there were so many times where I didn’t know if I could keep doing another round. 

My body started to change. The hormones made me gain weight. The doctors thought I was immunocompromised because I have eczema and said I had “increased natural killer cells” so they made me take prednisolone for weeks on end – to the point where my face turned into the shape of the moon (moon face being one of the major side effects of steroid medication). 

My skin got itchy and dry from the constant up and down changes in hormones. I started losing hair, and I’d cry in the shower every time I saw more hair go down the drain. 

I had miscarriage after miscarriage. And each time, the doctors couldn’t give me answers. One of the last phone calls with the nurses – from a clinic that I won’t name – lasted for 3 minutes. She called to let me know that it was another miscarriage and sounded so impersonal and I could feel her ingenuity through the phone – it was like she was reading from a script to fake empathy. I felt numb on the inside by our last failed IVF cycle and last miscarriage – I felt nothing. 

And yet, all the while, I was still running a full on medicinal cannabis business where I wanted to show up for my people, my patients and my community. Thankfully, my colleagues and my team are the most beautiful and supportive people – who gave me space, time and support when I needed it.

A few weeks after my last miscarriage, I was at my cousin’s 18th birthday family BBQ. It was a cold winter Melbourne evening, and in true Vietnamese style, we had every single Vietnamese dish you could think of out in the backyard, buffet style. It was so nice having the family together and it’s certainly one of my favourite things about being Australian-Vietnamese. 

However, what Vietnamese people aren’t very good at is tact. I remember a very core moment that almost broke me – and I believe will stay with me for the rest of my life. I was eating my cousin’s birthday cake, and my uncle came up to me and said: “you shouldn’t eat that, you’re so fat now”. I remember freezing and felt waves of anger, sadness and just defeat overtake me. I brushed it off, because of course, in Vietnamese culture, we’re taught to respect our elders and not talk back. But he kept going: “you should eat less, you’ve gained so much weight”. At this point, my CEO brain switched into gear and I replied calmly and respectfully “I’m just letting you know that I’ve just experienced multiple miscarriages, I’ve just had another IVF failed cycle a few weeks ago and I’ve been on hormonal medication that has caused weight gain”, thinking he’ll back off after I’ve given him a logical response. But he kept going and he didn’t stop. I heard his daughter, my cousin, to my left say “Dad, you’re being so mean”. 

In that moment, I froze. I kept repeating “it’s from the medications”. As the words slipped out of my lips over and over again, I felt so much anger. Anger that I had to even defend myself. Anger that women are expected to bounce back after they’ve lost an embryo, let alone multiple embryos. Angry that there is an expectation for women to look a certain way without regard for what stage of life they’re going through. 

And he kept berating me, and at some point, the strong, respectful, resilient defence I had put on started to crumble, and crumbled quickly. And his hurtful words started to penetrate through my head, morphing with my thoughts of shame, disappointment and sadness. And I spiralled out of control. 

I felt myself breakdown. In my moment of vulnerability, I turned around to grab my husband and I broke down in uncontrollable sobs in his arms. It was the first time I’ve ever cried in front of my big Vietnamese family. After all, for 35 years I’ve been the eldest, driven, strong female niece, cousin, sister and daughter. Everyone was in shock. I didn’t have the strength, in that moment, to confront my uncle or defend myself. I completely froze and crumbled into a heap of helplessness. And it was my beautiful, loving husband that held me in arms in that moment of vulnerability – and defended me in front of my entire family in a moment where I had no fight left in me. 

I think in Vietnamese culture, our elders forget just how much words can hurt, harm and shape a person – especially men speaking to women. In hindsight now, I know my uncle didn’t mean it in a harmful way. He was “just trying to look out for me”. But words and language are so powerful – and it can make or break a human being. When I reflect on this, I think about all the other women in the world who must have been in this same situation. Who come from cultures where you’re taught to be obedient and demonstrate respect and not speak up. We are silenced to the point of trauma. 

Furthermore, at what point is it considered okay to stand up for yourself? To defend your own dignity? Is it after you’ve been sexually abused at nine years old? Is it after rounds of IVF, multiple miscarriages and infertility? Is it in a boardroom full of men in suits when you’re pitching your business to potential investors and they call you a “little girl with great ideas”. But that’s a whole different story for another day. 

Last week, I underwent hysteroscopy and laparoscopy surgery. I found myself a new fertility doctor who is kind, patient and empathetic. And one of the first things she told me when she saw me for the first time was – I can almost guarantee that you’ve got endometriosis, and this is probably the cause of your infertility. 

The surgery went really well and very smoothly – and sure enough, post surgery, my fertility doctor tells me that I’ve had two very blocked fallopian tubes and she’s found some signs of endometriosis. She tells me that my infertility has been environmental i.e. blocked tubes and endometriosis, alongside PCOS – and said now we can try naturally. I felt so happy and so relieved in that moment, I almost cried. Not just because we could try naturally, but simply because we finally have answers. 

And with infertility, half the pain and frustration is just not knowing or no one being able to give you answers and feeling like an experiment. In that moment, speaking to my fertility specialist, and seeing the genuine light and care in her eyes – I felt human again. 

To continue reading about Lisa’s journey, or to read other contributors’, such as Kayla Itsines and Emma Watkins, deeply personal experiences with endo, you can purchase The Australian Guide to Living Well with Endometriosis online or in-store wherever you buy your books. 

Endo isn’t just “bad period cramps”. It’s a complex chronic condition that causes serious pain, fatigue, and other symptoms that can make working difficult. For the 830,000 Australians with endometriosis, small changes in the workplace can make a real difference in managing work and health. Here’s some ways you can make that happen.

Flexible Work Options

Flexibility is crucial for employees managing endometriosis. When pain flares up unexpectedly, having the option to work from home can be the difference between a productive day and a sick day.

• Flexibility to work from home when symptoms flare up
• Flexible working hours
• Permission to take breaks when needed
• Job-sharing options
• Provide staggered or altered return-to-work options for surgery or medical episode recovery

Leave Policies That Work

Thoughtful leave policies demonstrate that your organisation understands the realities of living with endometriosis.

• Establish a menstrual leave policy
• Separate menstrual leave from sick leave
• Offer extra leave for chronic conditions management 
• Do not require a doctor’s certificate
• Make leave easy to request
• Include everyone who needs it
• Consider including time for partners of people with periods too 

Build Understanding

Better understanding makes better workplaces. Invest in educational resources, and provide specialised training for managers so they can appropriately support team members with endo without overstepping boundaries.

• Create a safe working environment
• Help your team learn and understand more about chronic illness and how it can show up in the workplace
• Train managers to support their team appropriately 
• Keep communication open
• Make health chat normal, not awkward

Improve Communication 

Creating clear channels for discussing health needs is essential in an endo-friendly workplace. Establish confidential ways for employees to communicate their needs without having to share personal medical details with everyone.

• Speak to the staff member to understand what they need 
• Make relevant accommodations without fuss
• Be collaborative regarding return-to-work goals post surgery
• Be transparent about any issues  
• Ensure any upper management understands the situation to avoid accidental escalation 
• Make receiving support simple  
• Provide an Employee Assistance Service (EAS) if possible  

Not sure where to get started? There are many small ways you can get the ball rolling on an endo-friendly workplace (or any chronic disease—supporting people with endo creates a better workplace for everyone!). Start the conversation about chronic health conditions in your team. Check your existing policies to see what could be updated. Print out this list and not-so-subtly leave it on your manager’s desk. Even when a step seems small, it’s still a step closer towards providing the flexibility and support that can give someone with endometriosis the best chance to succeed on your team. 

Experiencing office life with endo? We want to hear your story. Share it as part of the Bodies of a Broken System project here. 

_{^{*At Astrid, while we use the term ‘women’ in our endometriosis campaign, we recognise this reflects common but incomplete medical terminology. Endometriosis can affect people across the gender spectrum, and conventional language often fails to acknowledge this reality. We welcome and support all individuals affected by endometriosis, regardless of gender identity.}}

You’re not alone—almost 1 million Australians are sharing this journey with you, and many of us have sat in doctors’ offices searching for the right words to explain what we’re going through. 

This guide will help you translate your experience into terms that doctors can understand and act upon. 

Make your pain scale meaningful 

Doctors often ask you to rate your pain from 1-10. Instead of getting stuck with numbers, try connecting them to your real-life experience to provide the correct context for your doctor. 

Pain level 4-5:
The pain interferes with my daily activities but I can still work through it with regular over-the-counter pain medication. 

Pain level 7-8:
I need to call in sick to work or cancel my plans, and can’t focus on anything else but the pain. Over-the-counter medication barely touches the sides. 

Pain level 9-10:
I need someone to drive me to the emergency room. 

Find the right words

Instead of just saying “it hurts,” here are some words that can help paint a clearer picture for your doctor. 

Stabbing: Sharp, knife-like pain

Cramping: Rhythmic tightening pain

Burning: Hot, searing sensation

Throbbing: Pulsing pain that comes in waves, like a heartbeat of pain

Dragging: Heavy, pulling sensation in the pelvis

Radiating: Pain that spreads from one area to another

Map it out 

Being specific about pain location and patterns can help your doctor to understand your unique experience.

“The pain starts in my lower right abdomen and radiates down my right leg”

“It moves from my lower back to my pelvis”

“Both sides hurt, but my left side feels like it’s getting the worst of it”

Share your daily reality 

Help doctors understand the severity of your experience by explaining how the pain affects your daily activities. 

Consider how your pain affects: 

Work life 

• Are you forced to work from home due to pain?
• How many sick days do you have to use due to symptoms?
• What adjustments do you have to make to work (e.g. heatpacks, wearing a TENS machine to work, carrying a supermarket worth of overnight pads in your work bag)?

Exercise routine

• Does your pain interrupt your exercise routine?
• Have you had to modify or give up certain physical activities?
• Are there times when even basic movement becomes difficult?

Social life and relationships 

• Do you have to cancel plans due to pain?
• Do you miss out on events or trips due to fear of pain flare ups or bleeding through?
• How does your condition affect your relationships with family and friends?
• What impact does it have on your ability to make and keep social commitments?

Intimacy

• Do you experience painful intercourse?
• Do you anticipate pain, which leads to a decrease in desire? 
• Do you experience pain spasms during intercourse? 
• Do you bleed after intimacy?

Financial impact

• How much money goes towards pain medication?
• Do you have to take unpaid time off work?
• What ongoing medical expenses do you have?
• How does this condition affect your financial security?

Track changes and patterns

Document how your pain changes. Keep a record of: 

Time of day: “The pain is worst in the mornings”

Cyclical patterns: “My pain intensifies during ovulation and menstruation”

Triggers: “My pain flares up after eating certain foods or during physical activity”

Highlight associated symptoms

Pain often brings along some unwelcome friends. Let your doctor know about other symptoms that occur with your pain, such as:

• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Heavy bleeding
• Bowel changes
• Bladder issues

Be specific about what helps and what doesn’t 

Being honest about your pain management helps your doctor understand what you’re dealing with. 

“Regular painkillers barely touch the sides”

“Heat packs only provide temporary relief”

“There are times when all I can do is just lie still and wait it out”

Tips for your doctor’s visit

• Keep a pain diary prior to your appointment as a record of your experience 
• Write down your main points and what you want to say—it can be hard to remember everything
• Consider bringing a support person who can help advocate for you
• Don’t downplay your symptoms—be honest about their impact
• If possible, book a longer appointment to ensure you have enough time for discussion

For more information on how to advocate for yourself at the doctors, read our blog written by RN & Astrid Health Clinical Manager Olivia Lackmann. 

When to seek emergency care

You know your body better than anyone. Here’s how to know when to head to an emergency room:

• Severe, uncontrolled pain that’s different from your usual endo pain
• Heavier-than-usual bleeding that soaks through a pad every hour
• Severe nausea and vomiting
• Signs of infection like fever
• Difficulty urinating or having bowel movements

Most importantly, remember that your experience is valid, your pain is real, and you deserve care that takes you seriously. Being able to tell your story clearly is a powerful step toward getting the support you need. You don’t have to figure this out alone. 

Women’s* health and pain have been minimised, misunderstood, and misdiagnosed in medical settings for too long. Despite significant advancements in medicine and healthcare technology, countless women with endometriosis, PCOS, fibromyalgia, and other conditions continue to struggle for proper diagnosis and effective treatment.

Many women report feeling unheard or undertreated in the healthcare system. When they report pain, they’re too often met with skepticism rather than solutions—told their symptoms are “just stress,” “all in your head,” or simply part of being female. 

This systemic failure doesn’t just represent a gap in care; it fundamentally diminishes quality of life, erodes mental health, and perpetuates a cycle where suffering is normalised rather than treated.

Challenging medical bias

Female pain has historically been sidelined in medical research and clinical practice, too frequently labeled as “emotional,” “hormonal,” or “exaggerated.” This dismissal leads to troubling consequences: years-long diagnostic delays, inadequate treatment protocols, and unnecessary suffering.

Here’s how you can advocate effectively for better care:

Speak up about your experience
Share your experiences openly—with healthcare providers, support groups, and on social media. Share your story, connect with others, and help raise awareness about the challenges women face in getting proper pain management. 

Stay informed and ask questions
Research your symptoms thoroughly, document your pain patterns, and come prepared to appointments with specific questions. If a provider dismisses your concerns, don’t hesitate to seek second or third opinions. 

Support research and policy change
Support organisations researching women’s health conditions, sign petitions for increased research funding, and contact elected officials about healthcare equity legislation. Individual advocacy combined with collective action creates powerful change.

Your pain isn’t imaginary, exaggerated, or something to endure silently. You deserve healthcare that takes your symptoms seriously and pursues effective treatment with urgency and respect.

The expanding role of natural therapies in women’s pain management

As more research emerges, natural therapies are being better recognised as a treatment option for women’s health issues where conventional therapies may not have been effective. 

The phytocannabinoids found in cannabis plants work by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system—a complex network that helps regulate pain perception, inflammatory responses, and mood stabilisation. For many women, these natural alternatives offer meaningful relief with potentially fewer severe side effects than conventional analgesics like opioids, providing a valuable option when first-line treatments haven’t delivered adequate results.

Natural therapies (CBD and THC containing medicines) are gaining recognition as a pain management tool for women’s health conditions, like endometriosis, where conventional first-line therapies have not been effective. Some common dosing formats include:

• Oils and edibles: Longer-lasting effects, but have slower onset.
• Wafers: Quicker acting than oils/edibles, avoiding vaporisation, can be another effective option for breakthrough pain. 
• Topical and PV creams: Can be useful for cyclical pelvic pain.
• Vaporisation: Offers quicker relief for breakthrough pain.

Natural therapies may also help address other conditions women with chronic pain can experience, including sleep disorders, and mental health issues.

In addition to their direct pain-relieving properties, natural therapies may also help reduce reliance on pharmaceutical painkillers, including NSAIDs and opioids. Many women seek alternative options due to concerns over side effects, long-term dependency, or medication resistance. 

A discussion with a specialised doctor is important. A medical professional with expertise in natural therapies can develop a personalised treatment plan tailored to your specific needs, ensuring your care is safe and effective.

Final thoughts

Women deserve better recognition and treatment of their pain. The stigma surrounding women’s pain and alternative natural treatments is slowly changing, but there is still work to be done. If you’ve faced challenges in pain management, know that you’re not alone, and that your voice matters in the fight for better women’s health care. 

If you’re curious about natural therapies, you can organise a complimentary nurse chat with the Astrid team. 

OLIVIA LACKMANN

Olivia Lackmann is Astrid Health’s Clinical Manager, and a Registered Nurse with experience in specialty surgical nursing, palliative care, and general practice. Olivia is committed to guiding and supporting patients in achieving better wellness. She has spoken with hundreds of women suffering from debilitating chronic conditions like endometriosis, adenomyosis, and PCOS, and has gained valuable insight into their stories, experiences and treatment outcomes. 

_{^{*At Astrid, while we use the term ‘women’ in our endometriosis campaign, we recognise this reflects common but incomplete medical terminology. Endometriosis can affect people across the gender spectrum, and conventional language often fails to acknowledge this reality. We welcome and support all individuals affected by endometriosis, regardless of gender identity.}}

Managing endometriosis is often as much about emotional wellbeing as it is about physical symptoms. Here’s why maintaining boundaries that help preserve your energy and protect your mental health are so important. 

I think the ‘Spoon Theory’ offers a really useful metaphor to help us think about the experience of living with a chronic illness like endo, particularly how our energy and resources are limited so need to be carefully managed.  

In the theory, spoons represent units of energy. A person in full health might wake up with an unlimited number of spoons, whereas someone with a chronic illness wakes up with a set number, and every activity they do—getting out of bed, having a shower—uses a spoon. Once they’ve used all of their spoons, they’ve used all their energy for the day (and can go into a spoon deficit).

The Spoon Theory helps us to understand why setting boundaries and being intentional about where we allocate our ‘spoons’ (and where we don’t) is so important for our mental and physical health. It can also be helpful when trying to communicate to others that we have limits to how much we can do and take on. 

But first, what exactly are ‘boundaries’? Boundaries are like personal limits or guidelines that individuals set in order to take care of themselves—emotionally, mentally, and physically. Think of them like protectors, guarding your energy and mental health. These limits include how much energy you give to certain things (e.g. people, work, social media) and what you say ‘no’ to that would use too many ‘spoons’. 

The benefits of maintaining boundaries around your energy and mental health include: 

• Conserving your energy for what matters most to you
• Prioritising your health and wellbeing needs
• Being more in tune with your mind and body 
• Avoiding overwhelm, burnout, anxiety and depression
• Feeling empowered and more in control
• Maintaining healthier, more supportive relationships 
• Feeling more balanced and centred within yourself
• Better management of pain and symptoms 

But setting and maintaining boundaries isn’t always easy. It can be difficult to say ‘no’, express our own needs and priorities, and risk potential conflict or disapproval from others. The good news? With awareness, support and practice, setting boundaries is a skill that can be learned. In fact, I’ve seen clients who have struggled with boundary-setting grow into very confident boundary setters. 

Here are some tips for setting and maintaining healthy boundaries around your energy and protecting your mental health:

• Remind yourself that you are the expert on your body and your life, and only you know what your limits are (and what the consequences are if you go beyond them).
  
• Try to view your boundaries as preventative healthcare; like exercise or diet. Remember, rest is proactive and productive!
  
• Be simple and concise in your communication with others, resisting the need to over-explain or justify your decisions or needs to everyone. Try communicating your limits as if they are any other ‘neutral’ statement. Like “thanks for the invite but I’ve already got something on earlier that day so I’ll need to rest”.
  
• Try to surround yourself with supportive, understanding people who respect your boundaries. It’s okay to distance yourself or let go of relationships that feel draining or people who invalidate your experience. Sometimes there will be people who don’t like it when you start to set boundaries. This is when it’s helpful to return to your ‘why’—you don’t have an unlimited supply of spoons, and you need to prioritise where you use them so you can feel the best you can.
  
• Work on becoming comfortable with saying ‘no’. Sometimes we can be conditioned to think saying ‘no’ is selfish, but it’s actually an act of self-respect and self-care. If you know you find saying ‘no’ difficult, and tend to prioritise others’ needs and wants ahead of your own, it may be helpful to reflect on why this might be. Sometimes when we better understand where a roadblock is coming from, we can better navigate around it. And remember that it’s okay to start small. Practice saying ‘no’ in low stakes situations, like ‘no’ to more cake at a party, and build your confidence from there. Having a personal ‘no’ script ready to go can also help take the pressure off in the moment. Something like ‘I can’t take on anything else right now’ can apply to lots of different situations.
  
• We often think of boundaries as something that relates to how we interact with the external world, but it’s just as important to develop and maintain healthy mental boundaries. This might look like challenging perfectionism and unrealistic expectations of what you ‘should’ be able to do, by replacing self-critical thoughts with self-compassionate ones. Or noticing that when we scroll on social media for too long, it depletes us of energy or negatively affects our mental state, so we set boundaries around the amount of time or energy we give to it.

Setting and maintaining boundaries is not just a way to protect your energy and mental health, but a powerful act of self-respect that can help you feel more in control and empowered, and enable you to navigate life with endo with more confidence.    

ANGIE MASHFORD-SCOTT 

Angie is a counsellor and therapist specialising in mental health care and support for those with endometriosis. Angie believes that individual support must work in tandem with broader advocacy and awareness-building to create meaningful change. Along with the launch of the endokind podcast this March, she actively collaborates with other change-makers in this space and serves as a leading member of the International Endo Violence Collective. 

www.endokind.com.au

IG: @endokind_au

What IS endometriosis?

In simple terms, endometriosis is when tissue similar to your uterine lining decides to go rogue and grow places it absolutely shouldn’t—ovaries, fallopian tubes, intestines, and sometimes even lungs or other far-flung locations. Unlike your regular period tissue that has an exit strategy, this stuff has nowhere to go. It causes inflammation, forms scar tissue, and can make life very painful for the person it’s growing in. 

Unfortunately, endometriosis remains widely misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and mistreated within healthcare systems worldwide. Patients are often left to navigate a web of complex misinformation.

So, if you’ve ever been told “it can’t be that bad” or to “pop a painkiller and push through”, this blog is for you. 

Let’s cover some of the most common myths and misconceptions about endometriosis. 

Myth 1: It’s just bad period pain

This dismissal of pain as a normal part of menstruation represents both a medical failure and a cultural problem that needs addressing. Many endometriosis patients report being told from a young age that severe period pain is something they simply have to endure. 

While mild discomfort during menstruation isn’t unusual, pain that interferes with daily activities, causes vomiting, or requires strong pain medication is NOT normal. Endometriosis pain differs from typical menstrual cramping, and can occur all throughout the month, not just during periods; and can occur throughout the body, not just in and around the pelvis. 

Myth 2: It’s all in your head 

Endometriosis is a physical disease with clearly observable pathology. While chronic pain can certainly affect mental health, the pain itself stems from biological processes including inflammation, nerve irritation, and organ dysfunction.

The psychological dismissal of physical pain has a long history in women’s healthcare. Endometriosis patients frequently report being told their symptoms are psychosomatic, anxiety-induced, or exaggerated. Some are referred to psychiatrists rather than gynecologists, prescribed antidepressants instead of pain management, or simply told to “reduce stress.”

Nothing says “medical misogyny” quite like telling someone their very real physical pain is just their imagination running wild. This dismissal doesn’t just delay diagnosis—it makes people doubt their own experiences and hesitate to seek the care they desperately need.

Myth 3: Pregnancy will cure endometriosis

Ah, the classic “use a whole human being as a treatment plan” approach. Not only is this advice wildly inappropriate (babies aren’t medicine, folks!), it’s also just flat-out wrong.

While pregnancy might temporarily suppress symptoms for some people thanks to hormonal changes, endometriosis can come roaring back after delivery. Plus, many with endometriosis struggle with fertility in the first place, making this advice extra salt in the wound.

Myth 4: A hysterectomy will cure endometriosis

“Let’s just take out your uterus.” Hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus) is often presented as a definitive cure for endometriosis. And the hysterectomy solution gets tossed around like it’s no big deal. 

But since endometriosis, by definition, occurs outside the uterus, removing the uterus alone will not eliminate the disease or its symptoms. While some patients experience symptom improvement after hysterectomy with oophorectomy (removal of ovaries), which reduces estrogen that can fuel endometriosis growth, it’s not a guaranteed cure. 

Myth 5: Menopause will cure endometriosis  

Allegedly, when your hormones change and periods stop, endometriosis magically disappears! Except… it doesn’t work that way for everyone. While some people do experience relief after menopause (natural or surgical), many continue to have symptoms. Those pesky endometriosis implants can still cause inflammation and pain even without the monthly cycle triggering them. Not to mention that hormone replacement therapy, which many use to manage menopause symptoms, can actually stimulate endometriosis lesions and bring back symptoms.

Plus, being told to just suffer through potentially decades of pain until menopause arrives? That’s not a treatment plan—that’s a sentence.

Endometriosis is not simply “bad periods”—it’s a complex, whole-body inflammatory condition that deserves proper attention, research, and treatment. The current state of care reflects deeper cultural issues in medicine that harm real people every day. For now, we can speak up about our experiences, support endo research, and share the realities of life with endometriosis to help others truly understand the endo experience. 

We want to hear about your lived experience with endo. Share your story here and help us point the spotlight on endometriosis.

Living with endometriosis can be overwhelming. The pain, fatigue, and other symptoms can make day-to-day life tough. While medical treatments like surgery and hormones are important, many people find that adding natural approaches helps them feel better overall. That’s where Naturopathy comes in.

Naturopathy can be a key part of a holistic care plan, focusing on diet, herbal medicine, and lifestyle strategies that may help manage inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and gut health—key factors in endometriosis symptom management. 

This guide shares practical naturopathic strategies that can work alongside your regular treatment plan. 

Key factors contributing to endometriosis symptoms

Liver Support

The liver plays a crucial role in hormone metabolism, including breaking down and eliminating excess oestrogen, which can contribute to endometriosis symptoms.

How naturopaths help: Using specialized herbs and nutritional support to enhance liver detoxification pathways, helping your body more effectively process and eliminate excess hormones that may be driving symptoms.

Gut Health Optimization

Studies suggest that gut bacteria and inflammation can significantly influence endometriosis symptoms. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) found in the gut have been linked to increased inflammation in endometriosis patients.

How naturopaths help: Prescribing specific herbs, probiotics, and dietary recommendations to promote a healthy gut microbiome and reduce inflammatory triggers.

HPO Axis Regulation

Endometriosis is an oestrogen-dominant condition, and disruptions to the HPO (hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian) axis can further impact hormone balance. Naturopaths may use herbs and nutritional support to help regulate this system and promote hormonal equilibrium.

How naturopaths help: Using targeted herbs and nutritional supplements to help regulate this important hormonal system and promote better hormonal equilibrium.

Anti-Inflammatory Support

Chronic inflammation is a key driver of endometriosis pain and progression.

How naturopaths help:

• May recommend a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods such as omega-3s, turmeric, and ginger
• May recommend avoiding highly inflammatory foods like processed sugars, dairy, and gluten
• Suggesting herbal remedies to naturally reduce inflammation

Lifestyle tips for endometriosis

Beyond naturopathy, these lifestyle changes can make a significant difference. 

Eliminate BPA Plastics

Long-term exposure to plastic particles, especially those containing BPA, can contribute to hormone disruption. Since endometriosis is a hormone-driven condition, switching to BPA-free alternatives is essential.

Seek Pelvic Floor Therapy

Pelvic physiotherapy can help relieve pain by addressing muscle tightness and dysfunction in the pelvic floor—issues often experienced by those with endometriosis.

Track Your Cycle

Tracking your cycle can help identify symptom patterns and triggers throughout your menstrual cycle, allowing for more proactive management strategies. 

Build a Support Network

Endometriosis can take a significant toll on mental health, contributing to anxiety and depression. Finding a supportive network or working with a psychologist can be invaluable for your mental wellbeing.

The power of a combined approach to care 

Naturopathy works best as part of your overall care plan, not as a replacement for medical treatment. Many of our patients find that combining conventional medicine with these natural approaches gives them better symptom control and improved quality of life. Every person with endometriosis is different, so what works for one might not work for another. The key is finding the right mix of treatments that works for your unique situation.

Want to try a holistic approach to your endometriosis care?

If you’re interested in exploring a naturopathy consultation, you can book a consultation with Georgina Phin here, or organise a free nurse chat with an Astrid team member to see if naturopathy may be right for you. 

GEORGINA PHIN 

Georgina is a clinical Naturopath who holds a Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy). She grew up in Melbourne, and now resides on the South Coast of New South Wales. Georgina has experience working in compounding pharmacies, as well as consulting roles in clinical practice. She is very passionate about educating patients on the gentle practice of Naturopathy, and the many benefits of natural therapies. She also loves being able to collaborate with practitioners of other modalities to give patients positive outcomes and reach their health goals. Georgina is particularly interested in assisting patients with their reproductive and mental health concerns, as well as supporting patients with chronic pain, and offering education on general wellbeing and nutrition.