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UK: Labour MP aims to open up medicinal cannabis access on the NHS for thousands of families Paul Gallagher inews Thursday 09 Dec 2021 Despite the Government legalising medicinal cannabis in 2018, following high-profile campaigns spearheaded by the families of children with severe intractable epilepsy who benefit greatly from the medicine, thousands of people are still being denied access to the treatment. Only a handful of prescriptions have been provided on the NHS leaving some families with no choice but to get private prescriptions, which can cost up to £2,000 a month. It has has left many families forced to rely on crowdfunding to be able to pay for their children’s life-changing treatment. Jeff Smith, who represents Manchester Withington, will introduce a Private Member’s Bill he said will tackle the two main issues that are blocking families from accessing medicinal cannabis. Firstly, it would create a register of GPs who can complete training that would make them eligible to prescribe the medicine, in addition to the specialist doctors who are currently allowed to prescribe. Polling has suggested that 24 per cent of GPs would be willing to take on the role of prescribing and supervising medical cannabis treatment, with 73 per cent open-minded about playing more of a role in prescribing. The Bill also aims to set up a Commission which will look at all types of existing evidence, including from overseas, and propose a framework for the assessment of cannabis-based medicines for licensing. It would also recommend ways of overcoming the current barriers to NHS provision. To become law, it will require support from the Government. Mr Smith said: “It’s frustrating that three years on from the legalisation of medical cannabis, many of those who need the medicine are still in a desperate situation with hardly anybody able to get prescriptions on the NHS. With my Bill, I have tried to make common-sense proposals that I believe could move things forward. It aims to expand access to medicines for patients in the short term, as well as working towards getting more cannabis-based medicines licensed. “My Bill offers a way forward, and I hope the Government might support it this Friday. If they aren’t happy with my proposals, we need them to be coming back quickly with another solution to this problem.” https://inews.co.uk/news/health/labour-mp-aims-to-open-up-medicinal-cannabis-access-on-the-nhs-for-thousands-of-families-1344482
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