Doctors in the U.K.'s national health system have been given the okay to prescribe cannabis to patients with "an exceptional clinical need," the United Kingdom's Home Secretary announced on Thursday.
Sajid Javid said in a statement that he decided to make cannabis available after receiving advice from experts during a two-part review he commissioned last month. The move will allow senior clinicians to prescribe cannabis under certain conditions.
The statement said the Department for Health and Social Care, and the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency will develop a clear definition of what constitutes a cannabis-derived medicinal product, so they can be rescheduled and prescribed.
The Guardian reported the reviews followed high-profile cases involving children being denied access to cannabis oil to control epileptic seizures. Cannabis oil appeared to help in the cases of Billy Caldwell , 12, and Alfie Dingley, 6, who suffered from forms of intractable epilepsy, also known as refractory epilepsy.
"Recent cases involving sick children made it clear to me that our position on cannabis-related medicinal products was not satisfactory," Javid said. "That is why we launched a review and set up an expert panel to advise on license 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."
Javid stressed in his statement that he is only approving cannabis for specific medical needs and does not believe the decision opens the door for it to be used outside the medical arena.
"This will help patients with an exceptional clinical need but is in no way a first step to the legalization of cannabis for recreational use," Javid said.
Mike Barnes, the clinician who successfully applied for a license for Dingley's family, called the U.K. current rules on cannabis "too restrictive," according to The Guardian.
"I hope medical cannabis will be available very soon to help the many tens of thousands of people who benefit from the medicine but are currently deemed criminals," Barnes said.
"I hope the government will not make the regulations too restrictive but sensibly open up the way to make good quality, safe cannabis available on prescription."
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