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TWO MEDICINAL CANNABIS products have been approved and registered for use in Ireland under the new Medical Cannabis Access Programme.
The two products are Aurora High CBD Oil Drops and CannEpil.
The two companies approved to supply the products are Aurora Cannabis Enterprises Inc and MGC Pharmaceuticals, which have both been recommended as being suitable for use under programme.
Health Minister Simon Harris signed legislation in June to allow for the operation of the 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:
Following the signature of the legislation, work got underway to find appropriate and approved suppliers of cannabis products for use in Ireland.
Commercial medicinal cannabis suppliers had to meet specified requirements set out in the legislation in order to be able to supply these products into Ireland.
The companies cannabis products will now be listed on Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and Control of Supply of Cannabis for Medical Use) Regulations 2019.
While the approval of the products has been described as an important step in the process, these products are still subject to international controlled drug import and export licensing requirements.
Under the programme, when a consultant prescribes the medicinal cannabis for use, the companies will apply for a licence to bring the product into Ireland for distribution. Such requirements are outside the Department of Health’s control.
However it is understood it will only take a matter of weeks before patients get to use the products.
CannEpil is a product that “has been years in the making”, according to Roby Zomer, Executive Director and CEO at MGC Pharmaceuticals. CannEpil was released to the market in 2017, and is a CBD-based medication that is used as a treatment for people with refractory epilepsy.
Aurora CBD drops are extracted from the company’s “non-psychoactive CBD strains”, it states on its website.
In a statement today about its cannabis products being approved for distribution in Ireland, Canadian company, Aurora confirmed that its CBD oil drops will now be added to the regulatory schedule enabling importation, prescribing and supply under the scheme.
Dr Shane Morris, Chief Product Officer at Aurora said the company is pleased to be able to assist patients who are seeking treatment with high quality EU-GMP (good manufacturing practice) certified pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis in Ireland.
“We are very proud to be one of the first approved suppliers of medical cannabis under the MCAP. We want to acknowledge the efforts made by many people, especially the patients and doctors who have campaigned for access to these medicines.
“We look forward to more of Aurora’s high-quality medicines being approved, so that more patients can benefit from the MCAP in Ireland. We will continue to work closely with all parties and state agencies to facilitate further availability.”
People Before Profit TD for Dublin Mid-West, Gino Kenny, who has been a long-time campaigner for medicinal cannabis use, has said that the news that medicinal cannabis products are available now to be prescribed is “a step in the right direction”.
“This represents a step in the right direction for those that have been campaigning for the past four years on getting legal and medical access to cannabis-based products in Ireland…
“Though welcome the programme needs to include other conditions where these products could be beneficial for a stated condition- such as pain relief for chronic pain,” he said.
Kenny said it has been a “very protracted number of years for campaigners, but this could be the beginning of something much bigger in the future”.
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About time some progress is being made. Years behind still.
@Craig Clancy: agree, though I’d prefer patients could grow their own under licence where doctors and Gardaí approve. The lesser involvement from 3rd party pharmaceutical companies the better.
@Perlum Sprite: simple answer there is dream on..you can see how hard it was to even get cbd products passed in the Dáil..imagine trying to table a motion to let people grow there own..as much as I’d love to see it happen it simply won’t.
@Craig Clancy: I’d love to see it happen too. And I bet there’s a lot more than just me and you. These law-makers are supposed to work for us. To enact the laws we want, not what they want. They go into those jobs promising their prospective employers (us) that they’ll work on our behalf. When did we start accepting this sort of leadership that openly prioritises company profits for their friends over public health and welfare?
@JusticeForJoe: sadly a long time ago..Unless some party for the people with actual qualified people to do their job right, the way it should be and no crazy promises that can’t be kept then there might be a hope. It took this country to fall to its knees before there was any change in government. Its on the horizon..same mistakes are being made and its only a matter of time.
@JusticeForJoe: HORRIBLE EXCUSES FOR HUMAN BEING THE LOT OF THEM
A great first step. Have to give a HUGE tip of the hat to Gino Kenny TD who has been relentless on this and who will now help more Irish people in need in his first term in the Dail, then most of the gombeen TDs manage in their whole political lifetime.
Honoured to give him my first pref in 2016
Gino Kenny is the type of politician we want to run our country. A man for the people, not aself serving, ill informed and uncaring, like the rest of them!
I hope his constituents continue to vote him in.
@Mary Walshe: Is that you Gino?
@Mary Walshe: I agree 100%
When is the thc strain being allowed for medical use along side the cbd. I have sever agonising pain for the last 30yrs, the cbd doesn’t make it go away, it does help and definitely helps with the sleep but I also need a small percentage of the thc in order to reduce the pain I am in. I cannot take chemicals esp medicines that are available now as I do not react well to them. Cbd is amazing but no a cure for all, we need the thc aswell just like other countries have realised and provided.
@Sam Glynn: what cbd do. You use?
This should also be prescribed for chronic pain.
Iv got high hopes for this.
@James Lenihan: so high you don’t even need an E
Cbd products are already available over the counter so to speak so why is this news?
@Michael Connick: I think the stuff over the counter has little or no THC in them.
@Robbie Clancy: this is where the mix up comes in..https://www.google.com/amp/s/madebyhemp.com/does-cbd-have-thc/
@Robbie Clancy: I’ve already imported Endoca CBD legally to Ireland. No mention in the article of either of the above products containing THC. Hard to imagine the minister putting these on the Compassionate Access Programme for these serious conditions without THC being present though. Can anyone enlighten me? Do they contain THC?
@Robbie Clancy: there’s no mention of thc in the article.
@Robbie Clancy: nor has the stuff they’re proposing importing!
@Mark Gaynor: agreed. How is this news when I can already walk to the shop and buy cbd only products?
@john doe: the difference is the over the counter are low cbd, zero THC whereas these products are from industrial cannabis with high cbd, low THC (usually 20:1). The over the counter ones are basically enhanced placebos, whereas these are ones that will genuinely treat chronic pain, epilepsy and the listed ailments. Should be legal for anxiety and allow people to self medicate like in mature countries, but this is a good first step.
@Brin: makes sense. They need to regulate this in a way that people that want to use cannabis, whether that be to help with long term pain or to wind down after a hard weeks work, it’s relatively harmless and should be available to all adults to use as they see fit.
Sounds like a no bid contract. How does one company, registered on the Australian Stock Exchange get the government’s approval?
CBD oil could easily be manufactured in Ireland from plants grown in Ireland. I’ll bet years from now we’ll be reading about how FG politicians made out like bandits on this deal. Brown paper envelopes for the boys. All on the take.
@Fidgenti: they aaid months ago that they were looking at Canadian companies cause they would have similar standards for the products and regulation. The legal cannabis in Canada is under govt control, both federally and provincially
Well done Gino Kenny.
Nothing for chronic pain sufferers, but step in right direction
A step in the right direction. Hopefully they can make this available soon to more people suffering from chronic pain and other ailments
I wonder will Parkinson’s patients be included.
At last, makes sense for people who have needs.
Legalise for chronic pain please… the opiates, benzos, anti epileptics and antihistamines aren’t effective. A CBD:THC patch that cost me a couple of bucks in Colorado was fab. This is just mindless idiocy. And leaving those with chronic pain continually suffering while Simon Harris farts around like a gobsh173. Get on with it!!
BIG DEAL. WHAT HOPE HAVE MOST PEOPLE WHO NEED IT HAVE OF EVER GETTING IT
All it needs now is the doctors to prescribe it. And that is where the next problems start.
A move in the right direction !! If only they would farm it here and sell to the world we could make a Fortune on IRISH GREEN Cannabis Products instead of Importing them !!!!
Why get the pharmaceutical companies involved when you can make it yourself
@David Saunders: quite hard to do extractions if you dont have the means, it took me a number of bunsen burners to figure it out
Progression finally
all the fibro heads looking for attention here is ridiculous…cancer patients and MS sufferers are more important than your made up disease. Your ” X amount of years of pain” is easily solved …get some exercise, a paracetamol and a bag of STFU.
fibro centres are all run by mental health professionals….that sums it up
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