The importance of TGO 93 & TGO 100 for medicinal cannabis quality
When it comes to medicinal cannabis in Australia, the priorities for cultivators and healthcare professionals are patient safety and product consistency. As such, there are regulations all cannabis-derived medicines must comply with before being dispensed to patients.
Companies (or sponsors) supplying medicinal cannabis must ensure they are produced in line with two manufacturing and quality standards set by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) – TGO 93 and TGO 100.
TGO 931 is a standard that outlines the minimum quality requirements for medicinal cannabis products, including both the cannabis plants and any other ingredients used to manufacture these products.
Active ingredients are responsible for producing therapeutic effects, so it's critical they are accurately identified and recorded. TGO 93 mandates that for all flower products, the actual active ingredient values must be within 80 and 120% of the amount stated on the label.
TGO 93 also ensures that medicinal cannabis products are free from harmful ingredients, such as pesticides, heavy metals and other impurities.
TGO 1002 is another standard that ensures products are free from contamination and is mainly concerned with the presence of specific microbes, such as harmful bacteria and moulds.
The TGA frequently audits medicinal cannabis products to ensure compliance with TGO 93 and TGO 100. These audits involve testing the active ingredients to ensure they fall within the acceptable range of what's specified on the label and checking for the presence of contaminants in finished products.
Medicinal cannabis products that don't meet these standards can carry an increased risk of side effects, so stringent testing is in patients' best interests. These regulations exist to ensure Australians have access to medicines that are safe and effective – and they are increasingly important as the market grows and more medicines become available.
At Kind, we are committed to providing medicines that excel in three areas: affordability, accessibility and quality. Our flower is sourced from British Columbia and is rigorously tested to ensure compliance with TGO 93 and TGO 100 to give patients and subscribers complete peace of mind.
1. Therapeutic Goods Administration. (2019). Therapeutic Goods (Standard for Medicinal Cannabis) (TGO 93) Order 2018 [online]. Available from: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2019C00328 [accessed 12 January 2022].
2. Therapeutic Goods Administration. (2018). Therapeutic Goods (Microbiological Standards for Medicines) (TGO 100) Order 2018 [online]. Available from: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L01685 [accessed 12 January 2022].