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27/07/2018
Cannabis-Derived Medicinal Products To Be Available On Prescription
The UK's Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, has announced that cannabis-derived medicinal products are to be made available on prescription.
The Home Secretary decided to reschedule the products after receiving advice from experts during the two-part review he commissioned on 19 June. The decision means that senior clinicians will be able to prescribe cannabis-derived medicines to patients with an exceptional clinical need.
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Medicines and Health products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will now develop a clear definition of what constitutes a cannabis-derived medicinal product so they can be rescheduled and prescribed. Only products meeting this definition will be rescheduled. Other forms of cannabis will be kept under strict controls and will not be available on prescription.
In the meantime, clinicians will still be able to apply to the independent expert panel on behalf of patients wishing to access these products.
The Home Secretary also confirmed that all licence fees for applications made to the panel will be waived and no fees will be charged in respect of applications which have already been granted.
Mr Javid said: "Recent cases involving sick children made it clear to me that our position on cannabis-related medicinal products was not satisfactory.
"That is why we launched a review and set up an expert panel to advise on licence applications in exceptional circumstances.
"Following advice from two sets of independent advisers, I have taken the decision to reschedule cannabis-derived medicinal products – meaning they will be available on prescription.
"This will help patients with an exceptional clinical need, but is in no way a first step to the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use."
(MH/LM)
The Home Secretary decided to reschedule the products after receiving advice from experts during the two-part review he commissioned on 19 June. The decision means that senior clinicians will be able to prescribe cannabis-derived medicines to patients with an exceptional clinical need.
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Medicines and Health products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will now develop a clear definition of what constitutes a cannabis-derived medicinal product so they can be rescheduled and prescribed. Only products meeting this definition will be rescheduled. Other forms of cannabis will be kept under strict controls and will not be available on prescription.
In the meantime, clinicians will still be able to apply to the independent expert panel on behalf of patients wishing to access these products.
The Home Secretary also confirmed that all licence fees for applications made to the panel will be waived and no fees will be charged in respect of applications which have already been granted.
Mr Javid said: "Recent cases involving sick children made it clear to me that our position on cannabis-related medicinal products was not satisfactory.
"That is why we launched a review and set up an expert panel to advise on licence applications in exceptional circumstances.
"Following advice from two sets of independent advisers, I have taken the decision to reschedule cannabis-derived medicinal products – meaning they will be available on prescription.
"This will help patients with an exceptional clinical need, but is in no way a first step to the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use."
(MH/LM)
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