Australia Okays Israeli Medical Cannabis Inhaler For Pain Relief

An Israeli-made inhaler that delivers precise doses of vaporized medical cannabis for pain relief has just received approval for use in Australia. 

The SyqeAir Inhaler, developed by Syqe Medical, is the first and only metered-dose cannabis inhaler to receive approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration, the government authority in Australia responsible for regulating medicines and medical devices. 

Within minutes of inhaling a single breath, the cannabis is absorbed into the patient’s bloodstream, alleviating their pain for several hours with minimal side effects.

Each SyqeAir Inhaler has a cartridge containing 60 single-use doses, or inhalations, that are packed onto a piece of plastic the size of a sim card. These “sim cards”, called VaporChips, have a tiny metal screen that heats up the cannabis. The longer it heats it up, the more active ingredients are emitted from the aerosol during inhalation.

This process differs from smoking or using a vaporizer, both of which heat cannabis to a specific temperature to create vapor for patients to inhale. According to SyqeAir, both methods are problematic as the user repeatedly inhales heated or burned cannabis, with varying and inconsistent effects.

“Receiving ARTG [Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods] approval in Australia is a significant achievement for our company,” said Hagit Kamin, CEO of SyqeAir.

“We are excited to collaborate with healthcare professionals and organizations in Australia to expand access to the SyqeAir Inhaler, enabling patients to benefit from reliable and consistent medicinal cannabis treatment.”