Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 October 2021
312. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken towards allowing those with epilepsy to access the medical cannabis access programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51786/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) will make it possible for a medical consultant registered with the Irish Medical Council to prescribe a listed cannabis-based treatment for a patient under his or her care for the three conditions covered by the programme, where the patient has failed to respond to standard treatments:
The three specified therapeutic indications covered by the programme:
- Spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis resistant to all standard therapies and interventions.
- Intractable nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, despite the use of standard anti-emetic regimes.
- Severe, refractory epilepsy that has failed to respond to standard anticonvulsant medications.
The (MCAP) is a 5-year pilot programme. The purpose of the programme is to facilitate access to acceptable cannabis-based products for medical use that are of a standardised quality and which meet the requirements outlined in the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and Control of Supply of Cannabis for Medical Use) Regulations 2019 (as amended).
There are currently 4 products assessed by the HPRA for inclusion in Schedule 1 of the Regulations, more products are currently being assessed by the HPRA.
On the 19th July, I announced that the MCAP was now open for medical consultants to make an application for themselves and their patients to be registered for the programme.
Registration by consultants and their patients on the Cannabis for Medical use Register, to be operated by the HSE, is required for the prescribing of cannabis-based products under the MCAP.
