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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:
spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis
intractable nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy
severe, refractory (treatment-resistant) epilepsy
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.
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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.
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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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It doesn’t need reviewing, it needs to be added! I’m very happy for the limited few who now have access, because it’ll help them – but leaving chronic pain patients in the dark is just horrid. It’s bad enough being in daily pain without some idiot saying ah sure we’ll review it. I’m in pain now! Colorado have legalised medically for almost 20 years. Why the hold up?
@Clare McAfee: yes I agree, its unfair to leave us with the only option being highly addictive medication that needs to be increased regularly because of increased tolerance. Its soul destroying for those of us who want to be free of pain without a dependency on opioids.
@Clare McAfee: It’s shocking but not surprising that people are left in chronic pain when there’s a logical solution right at hand. These people are so two-faced. What kind of evidence do they want?
The pharma companies have the government in their pocket. Simple as. You can’t fail but come to any other conclusion given the medicinal cannabis situation and when it’s draconian sentences for anyone convicted of any kind of cannabis-related offences while virtually all other offenders get ridiculously lenient sentences.
@bread of heaven: I was offered Amitriptyline yet again today – if I wanted to gain 30lbs and stay in bed all day and reduce my quality of life further with zero effect on my pain levels, by all means I’d take it… Lyrica got mentioned again.. seriously so sick of this. They don’t bloody work and make you feel awful.
@Clare McAfee: I wish you all every luck at getting the scheme extended to chronic sufferers. It seems barbaric to deny you all access to a better and less costly analgesic.
@Clare McAfee: Serving corporations and lining their own pockets, that’s all they’re interested in. Serving the people comes a distant third, and even then it’s only if there’s no conflict with their real priorities.
Have you tried cbd oil at all? That’s probably not strong enough for you, is it?
@This Is The Life: it would be about bloody time that Harris just ask the medical professionals abroad.Harris is only delaying for his buddies in big pharma who are trying to synthesize cannabis which hasn’t worked out to well for them.In the mean time stop voting for these wasters
@Rodger 5: because FG see this, as they see every single other thing, as a business opportunity. it takes time to allocate profit making projects to their friends and backers. in the meantime, suffer on. then when the time comes you will get the opportunity to put yet another business in the money.
Speaking as a person that has been taking opiates for years and now find that the do not work for me as with many others we should be given the option of trying other pain killers no matter what they call them be it cannabis or some others .
Time to legalise for recreational as well as medical.
will be legal eventually as many countries are now changing their laws But here we miles behind. Dictated too by a bunch of idiots that dont know the true benefits of cannabis..
Seen an article about opening injecting centres in Dublin for 2020. So if i understand this right. The irish government will cater for heroin but the weed smoker gets fined or jailed. just legalise the weed
I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005, and I was a woman of 40. They put me on Rebif which I took until 2008 and was switched to Copaxone. I had two relapses on Rebif, none on Copaxone. I did notice my balance getting worse, and my memory, as well as muscle spasms.I was placed on Copaxone, it helped me but not very much. My neurologist advised me to try natural treatments and introduced me to Rich Herbal Garden Multiple Sclerosis Disease Herbal formula, I read alot of positive reviews from other patients who used the treatment and i immediately started on the treatment. I had great improvement and relief with this treatment, total decline of symptoms. Great improvement with my Vision problems, co-ordination, balance, muscle, mood etc, I gained back my life with this treatment and can never be thankful enough. Visit Rich Herbal Garden official website w ww .Richherbalgardens .c om I’m 52 now, and have never been healthier.
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