The Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs’ recent report on cannabis medicines is a missed opportunity, says Pierre Van Weperen of The Grow Group
AS a leading distributor of unlicensed CBMPs in the UK, Grow Pharma welcomes research commissioned by the government into this very exciting and rapidly growing area.
For the benefit of many current and future patients a proper assessment of the impact that legislation has or could have on helping patients would be very important.
A review of that type would ideally be supported by a complete view and overview of the market.
However, The Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs report ‘Cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs) in humans’ fails to do that whilst providing insight into prescription numbers of the three licensed CBPMs in the UK (Sativex, Nabilone and Epidyolex) from 2018 onwards, the report would have greatly benefitted from more insight into the private prescription market for unlicensed CBMPs.
The report names a few products and lists the number of applications that have been submitted to Home Office for imports and then unfortunately stops saying that the actual number of imports or prescriptions has not been confirmed.
From an industry perspective I am sure that we would have gladly provided the ACDM with insight into the private market which would have probably allowed for a significant rephrasing of conclusions.
Currently from Grow Pharma’s view of the ecosystem, at least 1,000, potentially even 1,500 patients in the UK are being prescribed unlicensed CBPMs through private prescriptions.
Price Point Data ‘Incorrect’
They are being prescribed these medications to manage a variety of symptoms related to their underlying illness.
From seizures in epilepsy (notably after conventional medication and licensed CBPMs stopped working), to the management of severe chronic pain (after opioids stopped working or side effects became too severe), neuropathic pain, cancer related pain, mental health issues and many others.
Also very important to notice is that with a broad stroke the report comments that prices of unlicensed medicines remain high when compared to licensed medications.
This is far from the truth. For some patients it is correct that after licensed CBPMs have stopped working they had to resort to unlicensed (full spectrum) medication that is indeed expensive.
Notably the report doesn’t quote the price for Epidyolex whilst making a comment about the unlicensed CBPMs.
For many other disease areas and symptoms that patients are managing there is (a) no licensed CBPM alternative and (b) we again would have gladly provided broad insight into prices to patients (including dispensing and delivery cost) that have come down by 30-50% since 2018. These prices are a lot lower than the report suggests.
Last but not least as an industry we would welcome an open dialogue with government to address some of the apparent information gaps and give more insight into the data and the benefits of these medicines and importantly work with together on that basis to increase access to patients who would greatly benefit from these medicines.
Pierre Van Weperen, Managing Director, Grow Biotech, and CEO, Grow Pharma
As Europe embraces medicinal cannabis the continent’s prescribing landscape is developing different characteristics to that of the US. AFTER picking...
Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates!
‘Failing’ Government Report Into Medicinal Cannabis Is A ‘Missed Opportunity’
Pierre van Weperen.
The Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs’ recent report on cannabis medicines is a missed opportunity, says Pierre Van Weperen of The Grow Group
AS a leading distributor of unlicensed CBMPs in the UK, Grow Pharma welcomes research commissioned by the government into this very exciting and rapidly growing area.
For the benefit of many current and future patients a proper assessment of the impact that legislation has or could have on helping patients would be very important.
A review of that type would ideally be supported by a complete view and overview of the market.
However, The Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs report ‘Cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs) in humans’ fails to do that whilst providing insight into prescription numbers of the three licensed CBPMs in the UK (Sativex, Nabilone and Epidyolex) from 2018 onwards, the report would have greatly benefitted from more insight into the private prescription market for unlicensed CBMPs.
The report names a few products and lists the number of applications that have been submitted to Home Office for imports and then unfortunately stops saying that the actual number of imports or prescriptions has not been confirmed.
From an industry perspective I am sure that we would have gladly provided the ACDM with insight into the private market which would have probably allowed for a significant rephrasing of conclusions.
Currently from Grow Pharma’s view of the ecosystem, at least 1,000, potentially even 1,500 patients in the UK are being prescribed unlicensed CBPMs through private prescriptions.
Price Point Data ‘Incorrect’
They are being prescribed these medications to manage a variety of symptoms related to their underlying illness.
From seizures in epilepsy (notably after conventional medication and licensed CBPMs stopped working), to the management of severe chronic pain (after opioids stopped working or side effects became too severe), neuropathic pain, cancer related pain, mental health issues and many others.
Also very important to notice is that with a broad stroke the report comments that prices of unlicensed medicines remain high when compared to licensed medications.
This is far from the truth. For some patients it is correct that after licensed CBPMs have stopped working they had to resort to unlicensed (full spectrum) medication that is indeed expensive.
Notably the report doesn’t quote the price for Epidyolex whilst making a comment about the unlicensed CBPMs.
For many other disease areas and symptoms that patients are managing there is (a) no licensed CBPM alternative and (b) we again would have gladly provided broad insight into prices to patients (including dispensing and delivery cost) that have come down by 30-50% since 2018. These prices are a lot lower than the report suggests.
Last but not least as an industry we would welcome an open dialogue with government to address some of the apparent information gaps and give more insight into the data and the benefits of these medicines and importantly work with together on that basis to increase access to patients who would greatly benefit from these medicines.
Pierre Van Weperen, Managing Director, Grow Biotech, and CEO, Grow Pharma
How to understand the edibles markets in the US and Canada
Next PostMedical Properties Of Cannabis Recognised In Historic United Nations Vote
Peter
Related Posts
Related Posts
It Is High Time for a Renaissance in the UK Cannabis Industry
Written for Business of Cannabis by Andrew Pepper, Partner at business restructuring and consultancy firm ReSolve Advisory. In January...
Chill Brands CEO Suspended Amid Allegations Of ‘Use of Inside Information’, SynBiotic Buys Croatian CBD Maker, & Hellenic Secures Funding
Chill Brands Chill Brands has seen its share price dive by nearly 40% this week after news emerged that...
Tikun Olam Europe Leads the Change in Greece’s Rapidly Evolving Medical Cannabis Landscape
Cannabis Associations in Germany Face New Restrictions in Push to Prevent Commercialisation
#ReleaseOurMeds Campaign Launches to Protect the Rights of Patients to Access Their Medicine
Jersey Hemp Wins Watershed Legal Battle Against UK Home Office Which Threatened Entire CBD Industry
CONNECT
Related Posts
Related Posts
It Is High Time for a Renaissance in the UK Cannabis Industry
Written for Business of Cannabis by Andrew Pepper, Partner at business restructuring and consultancy firm ReSolve Advisory. In January...
Chill Brands CEO Suspended Amid Allegations Of ‘Use of Inside Information’, SynBiotic Buys Croatian CBD Maker, & Hellenic Secures Funding
Chill Brands Chill Brands has seen its share price dive by nearly 40% this week after news emerged that...
Tikun Olam Europe Leads the Change in Greece’s Rapidly Evolving Medical Cannabis Landscape
Earlier this year, Greece became the latest EU country to make medical cannabis products available to patients. In February 2024,...
Cannabis Associations in Germany Face New Restrictions in Push to Prevent Commercialisation
The German government is reportedly set to push through legislation that would tighten the already strict rules around cultivation associations....
#ReleaseOurMeds Campaign Launches to Protect the Rights of Patients to Access Their Medicine
Release is launching a vital initiative. We are launching the #ReleaseOurMeds campaign to protect the rights of patients to access...
Recent Posts
Related Posts
UK Companies Warn Ban On Medical Cannabis Exports Will Damage Future Investment
AS Brains Bioceuticals unveiled a significant expansion of its UK production facilities, it has warned that any future investment is...
Grow Group, Kanabo, MGC Pharma & Celadon Pharma All Report Growing Revenues, But Continue To Post Losses
AMID the economic chaos that dominated the headlines over the past week, nearly half-a-dozen UK-based or UK-listed cannabis companies released...
Grow Group Plans IPO In ‘Next 12 Months’ Following German Expansion
GROW Group told BusinessCann back in 2020 that it was raising £6m in capital to fund its expansion across Europe,...
Medical Cannabis Access Bill To Be Debated By UK Parliament Today
MOVES to boost medical cannabis access to UK patients are set to be discussed in parliament today. Labour Party MP...
From Flowers To Pharma – How Europe Is Forging Its Own Medicinal Cannabis Identity
As Europe embraces medicinal cannabis the continent’s prescribing landscape is developing different characteristics to that of the US. AFTER picking...
Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates!
We won’t spam you
Categories
Browse by Tags