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Cannabis for Medicinal Use

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 November 2021

Tuesday, 16 November 2021

Questions (523)

Michael Collins

Question:

523. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health if products (details supplied) are being included in an arrangement; if not, the reason; his plans to work towards this in future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55631/21]

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Written answers

As the details supplied part of this Parliamentary Question relate to operational matters for the Health Service Executive (HSE), I have asked that the HSE responds to the Deputy directly regarding this part of the question.

On 27th October 2021, the Minister for Health signed legislation, Statutory Instrument 557/2021, Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and Control of Supply of Cannabis for Medical Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 for two further cannabis products, Oleo Bedrobinol and Oleo Bedrocan to be added to Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and control of Supply of Cannabis for medical use) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 for use in the Medical Cannabis Access Programme. These are both dried cannabis flower-based products originating in the Netherlands. Owing to Dutch government restrictions cannabis-based oils, such as those compounded by Transvaal Apotheek in Den Haag in the Netherlands (often referred to as Bedrocan products), may not be commercially exported from the Netherlands to pharmacies or wholesalers. The commercial export of cannabis flower is permitted by the Dutch authorities.

Representations were made to the Dutch authorities about having the cannabis-based oil products exported to Ireland to facilitate Irish patients prescribed those products. The Dutch authorities replied that magistral preparations may only be provided directly to patients or their representative on the basis of a prescription, presented for dispensing.

Since April 2020, owing to the pandemic the Department has been collecting patient’s prescriptions from the Netherlands and delivering them to patient’s homes. These collections approximately every four weeks and will continue post-pandemic.

As a result of the prohibition of commercial export of the cannabis-based products the manufacturers cannot apply to the Health Products Regulatory Authority to have the products included in the Medical Cannabis Access Programme. However patient's can continue to be treated with these products if their clinicians are permitted to do so under Ministerial licence issued pursuant to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.

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