Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022
978. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if a licence to prescribe medicinal cannabis can be issued for a person suffering from chronic pain; if the product can be accessed on prescription through a pharmacy and if it comes under the drugs payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14537/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMinisterial Licence under Section 14 of the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977-2016:
Doctors may utilise the Ministerial licensing route to prescribe medical cannabis for their patients, should they wish to do so. In line with the Chief Medical Officer's advice, the granting of a licence for cannabis for medical purposes 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. This information can be found at the following links:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/1a5c4e-applying-to-the-minister-for-health-for-a-medical-cannabis-licence/.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/e35cb4-ministerial-licence-application-process/.
Reimbursement
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
The Drug Payment Scheme provides for the refund of the amount by which expenditure on approved prescribed medicines or medical and surgical appliances exceeds a named threshold in any calendar month. The threshold is currently set at €80 per month.
Under the Long-Term Illness scheme patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge. The following 16 illnesses are covered by the scheme: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide.
The Medical Cannabis Access programme (MCAP):
This is a 5-year pilot programme restricted to prescribing of cannabis-based products by medical consultants, for patients with certain medical conditions who have exhausted all other available medical treatment options. Those conditions are:
- Spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis
- Intractable nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy
- Severe, refractory (treatment-resistant) epilepsy.
For more information relating to the MCAP, including FAQs, please see the Department of Health’s website at the following link.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/90ece9-medical-cannabis-access-programme/.
It is important to note that the medical decision to prescribe or not prescribe any treatment, including cannabis treatment, for an individual patient is strictly a decision for the treating clinician, in consultation with their patient. The Minister for Health has no role in this clinical decision-making process and Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 prohibits the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
