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CHRONIC PAIN CONDITIONS which are not currently listed under the new medicinal cannabis access scheme will “kept under review” for possible future inclusion, according to Health Minister Simon Harris.
Last week, the minister signed legislation to allow for the operation of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme on a pilot basis for five years.
The medicinal cannabis access scheme now makes it possible for a medical consultant to prescribe a cannabis-based treatment for a patient under his or her care, but only for patients with specific medical conditions, where the patient has failed to respond to standard treatments.
These conditions are:
While the new programme has been welcomed, some TDs have said it does not go far enough, and have called for the list of conditions to be expanded.
People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny, who has long campaigned for access to medicinal cannabis to be legislated for, said sufferers of chronic pain would benefit from the cannabis-based products.
He said the “omission of chronic pain” from the list was glaring, and that many patients, some of whom are getting pain relief from opioids, would benefit from being allowed to gain access to cannabis products under the new law.
One such example is Clare McAfee, who, writing for TheJournal.ie earlier this year, said she was prescribed fentanyl, a dangerous and highly addictive synthetic opiate with horrible side effects, for her chronic pain. She said she would like to be prescribed cannabis instead.
Harris told the deputy that as minister he has to be guided by scientific evidence and by the experts that advise his office.
“The HPRA (Health Products Regulatory Authority) report did not recommend the inclusion of chronic pain in the access programme, but I reassure the deputy, who has taken a close interest in the development of the programme, that this position will be kept under review and if better clinical evidence becomes available in the future, the inclusion of conditions such as chronic pain can be considered,” said Harris to Deputy Kenny.
For patients with conditions such as chronic pain, the ministerial licence route is an option to access medicinal cannabis outside of the programme, he added.
The ministerial licence scheme, which was the programme that allowed for the prescription of cannabis in some cases before the new legislation was signed last week, allows Irish consultants to seek a licence to prescribe medicinal cannabis to a patient if they feel it is beneficial and necessary.
Speaking in the Dáil today, the minister said he has granted 21 licences to date, adding that he has never refused to grant a licence to a consultant who has sought one.
However, the minister reassured Kenny that chronic pain conditions “will absolutely be kept under review” as the five-year pilot programme progresses.
Kenny said the ministerial licence scheme can be “cumbersome” and there are questions about costs of travel and drug reimbursement costs for those that get a prescription but do not fall under the medicinal cannabis access programme.
Under the new access programme, the cost of the cannabis products will be the same as getting any other prescription in a pharmacy.
“You will be assessed on the same basis – if you get the drug payment scheme you will be covered in that, if you have the medical card, you’ll be covered under the prescription charges, if you are on long-term illness, you will covered under that,” said Harris last week.
Kenny said that would not be the case for those who need to get cannabis-based products under the old scheme.
“With the changes I made to the law last Wednesday, it may be possible to now start stocking some of those products in pharmacies for patients who are authorised, which might reduce the need to travel. We have made some progress on the reimbursement, but I think we can do more.
“For people who are on the cannabis access programme, the cost of the cannabis product will be met by the HSE. If one has a medical card, one will just pay the prescription charge and if one is on the drug payment scheme it will be the same as any other trip to the pharmacy as well. I am happy to continue to interact with Deputy Gino Kenny for patients who need cannabis for a medical reason to lessen their pain after everything else has been tried. We can keep these things under review,” added the minister.
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How is a swimming pool a tourist attraction ? It’s surely locals of west Dublin going for a swim
The NAC isn’t just a swimming pool. It has a small water park with a few slides, lazy river, wave pool and others I’m probably forgetting.
I take your point Chris but I’m going to go ahead and agree with Tony on this one. I’m not sure this should ever class as a tourist attraction.
I wouldn’t classify it as a tourist attraction, either, to be honest. I just had to clarify that it is not just a swimming pool.
Going by that criteria why isn’t Croke Park up there. With all the matches and concerts every year attendances are in the millions.
Few countries in the world can compare for natural beauty, and for all our faults there is a decency and goodness in Irish people that can be rare to find elsewhere. Sure we are not loved throughout the world as we would like to believe, but that is our own fault because the way a minority behave abroad. We have a wonderful culture that many of us have forgotten, great music, creativity and a brand that most countries would love. And to those who have left, hopefully some day we can welcome them all back some day to a better country, to a better home with some hope for the future. We live in ana amazing country, lets enjoy it!
Many thumbs up!
I was lucky enough as a child to have a father who loved to drive. He took us all over the country. I am grateful to this day for him showing me so much of this country when I was younger.
Stop posting your link in every thread, please
The old romantic view – but we’re deluding ourselves. Our culture is as good as most, no more. And having been forced by the Christian Brothers, and the system to learn Irish (a dead language, virtually) and play Gaelic games – I have preferred and chosen other places to reside.
Just one example, the UK. Steeped in history and where O’Casey, Joyce and Wilde chose to live and work from an early age. The arts there are legendary, as is its education and sport. We tend to live in the past.
Gaelic games, for instance, are still followed avidly here – but nowhere else. Whilst soccer is played in every country on earth (c220) – with over 3.3b currently watching the World Cup. A game invented by the English.
Yes Will – I am one of ‘those who have left’ also. And have no wish to return; I, too, was forced to learn Gaelic (which I never used), attend mass (which I no longer do) and to play Gaelic games (which I stopped, ASAP.
Ireland may be a fine country – but I often wonder why so many had to be pressurised into becoming a stereotype. A fews days in Rome NYC or Venice – would be much more attractive than Dublin or Taytoland……….
There is a difference between living in the past and actually remembering or respecting it. British people tend to have complete amnesia about their history when it comes to imperialism and the slave trade. Most countries are very selective about their history, Ireland and the UK are no different.
Different countries have contibuted differently but equally to the world whether its Karaoke, Halloween, soccer or pasta. I don’t get eith these comparisons which are often inadvertedly used to fuel nationslism. No country is better or worse.
Always surprised that the Guinness storehouse comes top. It’s really not a great experience
I’m a home brewer and while Guinness is the only commercial beer I’d happily drink (Murphy’s great too but don’t live near a Murphy tap), the experience is extremely good imo.
It explains the brewing process very well and in a very accessible manner. I’ve been to the Heineken and Kronenbourg’s respective equivalents and it is very good.
Most places are more like vineyard experiences and I include Jameson in that.
I do not think it is value for money however. It is very expensive but as an attraction I think it’s well done.
It’s a money msling racket!
There’s a list to keep your kids off iPads , phones , computer games for a few weekends . Get out and enjoy what’s on offer .
*Sent from your iphone :p
So Dublin then !!!! I know thousands of other places NOT in Dublin that should replace most of what’s on that list ! There is more to IRELAND than DUBLIN !!!!
It’s based on pure visitor numbers. Dublin is by far the most visited in terms of tourists so it naturally will dominate the list.
Yeah like Cork and Kildare and Meath…oops sorry they’re already on the list!
To
The butter museum in Cork city has yet again been mistakenly passed over!
As has indeed the English Market
I think footfall in the Market would be difficult to judge.I love the place and would recommend it to anyone but trying to figure out who is local and who is a tourist is not really possible.
The National Aquatic Centre?! Really?!
What about Muckross
Been to most of them. But for me Fota Wildlife Park (if that’s want you want to call it !) was a major disappointment.
You mean the overpriced glorified “exotic” farm where all the animals are depressed off their heads, couldn’t agree more!………. Ps if anyone from Fota happens to read this for gods sake clean the water down there it’s horribly murky and full of rubbish oh and give the animals some quality of life, that poor eagle in that tiny enclosure (small cage) looks like he needs a good feed of prozac not to mention all the other poor creatures depressed off their heads, for the money your charging it shouldn’t be a problem!!!
Number 5 looks like it could be a dole que
Be nice to see the Boyne Valley up there or any of our historical monuments further afield ie outside the major cities. The convenience of the Dublin and Cork attractions is plain to see but there is no denying the breadth and variety of our attractions. Also, wasn’t that impressed with Fota Wildlife Park recently, but then again, I am comparing it to Dublin Zoo, which I love.
I would have hoped the national leprachaun museum would make the list. My favourite Dublin attrsction by far,
Too small!!! Too small!!!!
A jail – are you joking me?
No wonder Tourism Ireland has been pestering the government – for years – to invest in some new activity-based attractions.
Such as they have in most other countries in Europe – including those equivalent to the size of Ireland.
Build it, and they will come.
Im very pleased that the jail made the list. Its the one thing I always tell visitors to do when they come here.
Its well run and the tour guides are very knowledable, Im sure that alcatraz would be on the list in california.
AFAIK Tayto park got, or are in the process of planning permission for a few roller coasters.
Don’t put down Tayto… You might have a chip on your shoulder. Sic!
The cliffs of mohar are not as spectacular as I expected .. giants causeway is much more cooler
Stick on Dublin Liffey Board. All kinds of wild life there
Been too all
The “Barack Obama ” plaza will be number one next year..can’t wait
6 out of the 10 are in Dublin i don’t think so….
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