Cannabis for Medicinal Use

Tuesday, 10 October 2017

Ceisteanna (332, 333)

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

332. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the date on which the compassionate access programme for medicinal cannabis will come into operation. [42648/17]

Amharc ar fhreagra

333. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the number of times the expert group charged with developing the operational, clinical and practice guidelines for the compassionate access programme for medicinal cannabis has met; the dates on which it has met; and the names of those on this expert group. [42649/17]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 333 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, in March 2017, on foot of the conclusions from the Health Products Regulatory Authority’s report, "Cannabis for Medical Use – A Scientific Review", I established an Expert Reference Group to advise on the development of a Cannabis for Medical Use Access Programme.

The Expert Group is chaired by Dr. Mairín Ryan, Director of Health Technology Assessment at the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, and comprises representation from the areas of oncology, palliative care, anaesthesiology, general practice, adult neurology, paediatric neurology, multiple sclerosis, psychiatry, pharmacy, patients, and ethics as well as representatives from HIQA, the HPRA, the National Medicines Information Centre and the Department of Health. To date, this group has met seven times.

The Expert Group is tasked with the development of clinical guidance for healthcare professionals treating patients through the Access Programme. A critical requirement for the successful establishment of the Access Programme is meaningful engagement with representative bodies, clinicians, patients, and pharmacists so that these groups are integral to the drafting of operational clinical guidance. This has involved continuous ongoing dialogue between the Experts and third parties throughout this initiative. The Group conducted a targeted consultation on the draft guidance, which will be finalised shortly. The Expert Group are also considering other operational aspects for the implementation of the Access Programme.

Officials in my Department are working on secondary legislation to underpin the programme and on the logistics of sourcing suitable cannabis-based product supplies for the Irish market place. This work will take a number of months to complete.

As I have previously advised, pending implementation of the Cannabis Access Programme, and for medical conditions that are not included in the Access Programme, under existing legislation it is open to me as Minister to consider granting a licence to an Irish registered medical practitioner, under the Misuse of Drugs Acts, for access to medical cannabis for named patients. The Chief Medical Officer has advised that the granting of such a licence must be premised on an appropriate application being submitted to the Department of Health, which is endorsed by a consultant who is responsible for the management of the patient and who is prepared to monitor the effects of the treatment over time. The decision to prescribe cannabis for medical use rests with the clinician, in consultation with their patient. As Minister for Health, I have no role in this clinical decision-making process.

Where a consultant requires information or clarification in relation to the licence application process, he or she should contact my Department directly.

The Cannabis Reference Group has met on the following dates:

- 30 March 2017;

- 11 April 2017;

- 9 May 2017;

- 23 May 2017;

- 16 June 2017;

- 27 June 2017; and

- 10 October 2017.

The membership of the group is as follows:

CRG Member	Representing
Dr. Mairín Ryan	HIQA and Chairperson
Dr. Seamus O’Reilly	RCPI - Medical Oncologist
Prof Tony O’Brien	RCPI – Consultant physician in palliative medicine
Dr. Peter Widdess-Walsh	RCPI – Consultant Neurologist
Dr. Chris McGuigan	RCPI - Consultant Neurologist
Dr. Bryan Lynch	RCPI – Paediatric Neurologist
Dr. Mike Scully	Consultant Psychiatrist – College of Psychiatrists
Dr. Brendan Conroy	Pain Specialist & Anaesthetist - The College of Anaesthetists of Ireland
Dr. Des Crowley	General Practitioner - Irish College of General Practitioners
Dr. Cora Nestor	Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland
Keith O'Hourihane	Pharmacist - Community Pharmacy representative
Professor David Smith	Ethicist - Royal College of Surgeons Ireland
Joan Jordan	Patient representative - European Patients Academy on Therapeutic Innovation
Aileen Tierney	Patient representative
Elaine Breslin	Health Products Regulatory Authority
Dr. Patricia Harrington	HIQA
Eugene Lennon	Principal Officer, Department of Health
Maria Egan	Pharmacist - Department of Health
Vanessa Lyons	Health Products Regulatory Authority
Niamh O’Rourke	National Clinical Effectiveness Committee, Department of Health
Eamonn Quinn	Pharmacist - Department of Health
Claudine Hughes	Chief Pharmacist - National Medicines Information Service