Today the Government has announced new measures which are being put in place to improve patient access to medical cannabis. The steps being taken will allow for patients to receive the required medication in a matter of days, whereas previously the wait time was months.

The key takeaways from the announcement are that:

Cannabis can be imported faster into the United Kingdom

Companies can import larger quantities of medical cannabis

Cannabis-based medicines can be stored in the country allowing easier access

The joint statement released by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office can be read in full below.

FASTER ACCESS TO CANNABIS-BASED MEDICINES FOR PATIENTS THANKS TO CHANGES TO IMPORTING RESTRICTIONS

Companies given green light to import cannabis-based medicines into the UK in advance of prescriptions

Measure will mean patients with a prescription can receive treatment in days, rather than months

Costs will be reduced for companies importing and savings passed on to patients

Patients prescribed cannabis-based medicines will be able to get their treatment in days rather than months as rules on importing medicines have today been changed, the Government has announced.

Companies will now be able to import cannabis-based products for medicinal use in advance into the UK, and will be able to hold supplies that can be given to patients with prescriptions via a pharmacy.

Patients with conditions like rare, serious forms of epilepsy or multiple sclerosis, for example, will be able to access their prescribed medicines quicker. This step will help to ensure treatment is not interrupted and significantly improve the quality of life for those currently facing treatment delays.

Most cannabis-based medicines are imported from foreign countries, with export restrictions meaning it can take weeks or even months for the drugs to reach the patients that need them in the UK. For example, in Canada, an export certificate to send cannabis-based medicines to the UK can take between four to eight weeks.

Safeguards against addiction and the misuse of drugs mean that prescriptions for unlicensed medicines, like medicinal cannabis, are reviewed every 30 days by specialist doctors, which can lead to the risk of delays in treatment for patients where there are delays to imports.

The Government is committed to ensuring quick, uninterrupted access to cannabis-based medicinal products, where clinically appropriate, and is working with industry on exploring further actions to be taken to reduce costs and encourage more much-needed research in this area.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said:

“Every time I meet the families of young people dealing so bravely with childhood epilepsy, I am reminded of just how much they have been through.

“The changes made today are a tremendous step towards improving the supply of cannabis-based medicinal products by helping to ensure quicker and more reliable access for patients.

“But we still have a long way to go. We need more research into the quality and safety of these medicines, and to do all we can to cut down the costs and remove barriers so that, when appropriate, patients can access it, including on the NHS.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

“I have taken swift action to allow specialist doctors to issue prescriptions for cannabis-based medicinal products, when they consider their patients would benefit from this treatment.

“This will allow patients and their families with challenging conditions to access them more easily, when appropriate, to ensure they can be treated in days, not months”.

Today, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Health Minister Jo Churchill met with campaigners and industry to discuss how the costs of unlicensed cannabis-based medicinal products can be further reduced for patients.

The Government will also continue to engage with medical associations and patients on building an evidence base using trials in the UK to accelerate our understanding of how medicinal cannabis can benefit patients, which is necessary for wider prescribing by NHS clinicians in future.

The latest action follows our historic law change in October 2018 to allow specialist doctors to prescribe cannabis-based products for medicinal use where clinically appropriate in the UK.

In November last year, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) also recommended two cannabis-based medicinal products for patients with multiple sclerosis and hard-to-treat epilepsies.

The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England-NHS Improvement (NHSE-I) and the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) to establish clinical trials to develop the evidence base to support further commissioning decisions.

Dr Andy Yates, Pharmacy Lead at the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis, said:

“Today’s announcement will be warmly welcomed by patients, carers, and clinicians alike. It’s crucial as we build the evidence required to realise the potential of cannabis-based medicinal products that there are no unnecessary impediments to accessing prescriptions.

“We are grateful that the Government has listened to the valid concerns expressed by our members and responded with measures that will immediately improve access to these novel medicines and accelerate clinical understanding of their use. We look forward to working on the finer details of how this can now be implemented.”

Notes to editors: