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UK: Health department may prescribe cannabis

The Financial Times

Monday 18 Feb 2002

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The Department of Health has asked the National Institute for Clinical
Excellence (NICE) to investigate the medical effects of cannabis, and if it
proves an effective painkiller it could be available on prescription by 2004.

The health department has ordered NICE to assess whether the drug could
alleviate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Official data suggests that 5
per cent of MS patients already use cannabis, and some doctors say the real
figure may be as high as 30 per cent.

Lord Hunt, health minister, said cannabis would only be prescribed
according to strict criteria.

"If these pharmaceuticals are licensed for medical use, it is of critical
importance that NICE guidance is in place for the clinicians who will have
to make decisions about their use.

"I think it's important to make a distinction between the drugs for MS pain
relief and the use of cannabis for smoking, for pleasure."

Lord Hunt said the clinical trials were unrelated to the government's
policy on recreational cannabis use announced last year by David Blunkett,
home secretary.

Clinical trials of cannabis already underway. The Medical Research Council
(MRC), with the backing of the health department and the Royal
Pharmaceutical Society, is assessing the effects of cannabinoids on
hundreds of MS sufferers.

NICE is expected to look at the MRC trials, and at the possibility of
cannabis being used for post-operative pain relief, before deciding whether
cannabis should be available on prescription.

Ministers have promised to recommend licences for cannabis-based medicines
should NICE conclude the drug should be used for medicinal purposes.

The move could open the way for drug companies to market lucrative new
products. Some companies have already created pain-relieving pills and
sprays containing cannabis, which they intend to market to MS sufferers.

 

 

 

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