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The cannabis industry is clearly in flux
Shannett Thompson
To clarify, at present, Sativex and Nabilone are the only CBMPs licensed for use in adults in the United Kingdom (UK). The medicines are listed under Schedule 4 and Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 respectively.
The guidelines cover ‘prescribing of cannabis-based medicinal products for people with intractable nausea and vomiting, chronic pain, spasticity and severe treatment-resistant epilepsy’, and are proposed for publication in November 2019.
The recommendations are broadly that:
The guidelines confirm that initial prescribing of CBMPs should be by a specialist doctor, who has a special interest in the condition being treated.
After the initial prescription, repeat prescription of CBMPs can be ‘issued by another prescriber as part of a shared care agreement under the direction of the initiating specialist prescriber’.
The shared care agreement should include:
The guidelines have made recommendations for research in relation to:
As stated in our previous commentary, the floodgates for prescription of CBMPs is not going to open at any time soon in the UK. The consultation is open until the 5th of September 2019. Until then; watch this space!
For further information in relation to any matters raised in this blog, please contact a member of our regulatory or criminal team.
Shannett Thompson is a Senior Associate in the Regulatory team. She has substantial experience in advising individuals in relation to their regulatory obligations in the wider context. She is adept at advising and assisting individuals in respect of registration/licensing applications. She regularly works with the criminal team with regard to regulatory matters emanating from criminal convictions and cautions.
Nicola Finnerty is a Partner in the Criminal Litigation team and is a leading criminal defence expert in both business and general crime. She advises on a wealth of matters related to both these areas as well as representing individuals and families in public inquiries and inquests.
We welcome views and opinions about the issues raised in this blog. Should you require specific advice in relation to personal circumstances, please use the form on the contact page.
Shannett Thompson
Shannett Thompson
Shannett Thompson
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