Legislation and Meeting Minutes regarding Medicinal Cannabis Pharmacy
| Authority | Department of Health and Social Care |
|---|---|
| Date received | 2022-03-28 |
| Outcome | Some information sent but part exempt |
| Outcome date | 2022-04-26 |
| Case ID | 2355293 |
Summary
The request sought legislation and meeting minutes regarding a planned Medicinal Cannabis Pharmacy in the Isle of Man. The authority disclosed extracts from Department of Health and Social Care meetings from 2020 and 2021 discussing import licensing, resource implications, and clinical risks, while noting the response was partially exempt.
Key Facts
- The Isle of Man requires import licences for controlled drugs despite sharing a customs area with the UK.
- Discussions highlighted significant resource demands for training medics and managing customs enforcement.
- Clinicians expressed concerns about prescribing unlicensed cannabis products and potential drug interactions.
- It was agreed to conduct a health impact assessment and refer the matter to the substance misuse steering group.
- Four companies based in the Netherlands were identified as current producers of these medicinal products.
Data Disclosed
- July 2022
- 13 November 2020
- 12 February 2021
- 4 companies
- 15 pages
- 2 documents
Original Request
I would like to request all regulations/legislation and meeting minutes that discussed the new Medicinal Cannabis Pharmacy/Dispensary planned to open in July 2022. Thank you.
Data Tables (7)
| Minutes/Meeting | Part referred | Present | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department Meeting of Health and Social Care 13 November 2020 at 09:15 Minutes | DHSC position on issuing import licences for cannabis based (unlicensed) medicinal products MB joined the meeting to discuss the paper, and if the Department wishes to proceed, how do we do this and how we resource it. The following provides a narrative of the discussions as this is a complex area and for the record the issues are captured below: IoM has the same customs area as the UK, but because of our legislation, in order to import controlled drugs they require an import licence. Like Jersey/Guernsey. Both islands handle this differently. Managed by the Chief Pharmacist in Jersey, and managed by Public Health in Guernsey. Significant and steady increase in licences being issued on both islands. Quite a resource demand on them. Other complexities to this also noted. Both islands have made changes to legislation regarding drug driving laws. Patients purchasing very expensive medicines. Resource implication on customs. Do we have the right to decline in terms of human rights – this hasn’t been answered. MB has asked for comments from the Police and is awaiting feedback in respect of the impact on their enforcement related issues. It is important to consider the protection of our staff. There is an implication for medics/nurses. MB has asked for policies and procedures from North West pharmacy group. Training issue too. Medics are not trained in medicinal products and how they may react to other medicines. Some clinics have prescribed in the UK for patients in the IoM and they’re sitting in the UK not able to access. There appears to be patients who contact the clinics themselves. Noting clinics are registered with CQC. Part of the issuing of a licence is to confirm the medic is on the specialist register with GMC and that the clinic is registered. Will have to check every time they are prescribed. Pharmacies have to be registered too. There is a process of making sure everything is done properly. | Hon. D Ashford, MHK Minister Mr J Moorhouse, MHK Mrs C Barber, MHK Mrs A Corlett, MHK Mrs K Sharpe, MLC In attendance Mrs K Magson, Interim CEO Mrs C Quilliam, Director of Nursing Ms A Corkill, OHR Partner Mrs B Scott, Director of Infrastructure Mrs P Primrose, Executive Director, Finance Dr R Ranson, Medical Director Mr R Wild, Chief Information Officer Mrs M Kenny, Communications Executive Mr Robin O’Connor, Transformation Team Mr Andrew Foster, Chair of Manx Care Mrs Maria Bell, Pharmaceutical Advisor |
| Department Meeting of Health and Social Care 12 February 2021 at 09:30am Minutes (Draft) | Prescribing of cannabis based medicinal products: KM, MB & KEM had their first meeting with DEFA and DfE noting there will be a second meeting. KEM noted that there is not a big appetite for other Departments to get involved. KEM noted that other options maybe use of a third party pharmacy provider or a PIN exercise. KEM advised there is one pharmacy who has confirmed they wish to be involved, perhaps have short term contract. RR advised it has been to the Senior Clinical Advisory Group who have considered the clinical implications. RR advised that this group was not supportive. RR noted that Dr Dashfield, who is an expert in this field, advised that NICE have said that the evidence is lacking. RR will submit a paper to the Department meeting stating the reasons for CAG being clinically against this proposal. It was noted that KEM/TC will take over AM’s actions on the action log. AOB Medicinal Cannabis – paper to be submitted by RR, from Clinical Advisory Group. DA advised that he would like broader context about what is possible which includes consideration of what other jurisdictions provide. | Hon. D Ashford, MHK Minister Mr J Moorhouse, MHK Mrs C Barber, MHK Mrs A Corlett, MHK Mrs K Sharpe, MLC Mrs K Magson, Interim CEO Mrs K Malone, Deputy CEO (Governance) Mr A Foster, Manx Care Chair Ms D Brayshaw, Children and Family Services Mrs P Primrose, Executive Director, Finance Dr R Ranson, Medical Director Mrs C Conie, OHR Mrs M Kenny, Communications Executive Ms M Taylor, Communications Executive |
|---|---|---|
| Department Meeting of Health and Social Care 9 April 2021 at 09:30am Minutes | Medicinal Cannabis: No paper. Verbal position from KEM. ACMD group have given their opinion now. Last spoke about maybe DEFA or DFE taking this on, but not much appetite for it. Discussed with Maria Bell about whether we could do it another way, and put out a PIN for a specialist on island who could manage whole process. We would procure out. Tested it out with one particular pharmacy who are keen to do this. Medican – operate in Jersey. Well respected on island. Able to manage this and have said they would be happy to run it. We would have to issue one licence to them then pilot it for a year and get updates from them. Paid based on cost of product. Wouldn’t come at a cost to Department. ACMD group said they would be happy with this. AGs seen it too – asked if they would be happy for us to issue PIN and we would have MOU in place with pharmacy. Looking good. JK’s team would need to oversee licence and organisation delivering for us. | Hon. D Ashford, MHK Minister Mr J Moorhouse, MHK Mrs C Barber, MHK Mrs A Corlett, MHK Mrs K Sharpe, MLC Mrs K Magson, Interim CEO Mrs K Malone, Deputy CEO (Governance) Ms J King, Director of Quality, Safety and Engagement Mrs C Conie, OHR Mrs M Kenny, Communications Executive Mr Andrew Quayle, Finance Business Partner Mrs P Primrose, Executive Director, Financial Advisory Service |
| Plan for paper to come for department’s approval to go ahead with this. CAG did discuss it and are not in favour of this. Action from CAG to bring report back here. Report not completed yet. Dr Dashfield author of report. Intention is to ask Dr Dashfield to revisit with Dr Sree Adenole and come back. Looking for paper to come to next meeting. Need mitigation plan from Nobles on how they can manage this appropriately. Not appropriate for us to do nothing. If we have a pharmacy wiling to engage, that resolves a few of the issues. Would cap number of products they can prescribe too. With AGs at the moment. KS asked what happens if further pharmacies want to do the same thing. Would it be a no, or would we have to look at giving licensing to others. KEM advised that for the period of the pilot we would only have one pharmacy. If we commissioned it longer term we could open it up to others. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Members and CEO Meeting 28 April 2021 at 11.00am Minutes | Medicinal Cannabis: Expressions of Interest are going out. AGs just finishing contract. Paper to confirm pilot will come back to department meeting. | David Ashford, Minister Kathryn Magson, CEO Clare Barber, MHK Jason Moorhouse, MHK Kerry Sharpe, MLC Ann Corlett, MHK |
| Department Meeting of Health and Social Care 14 May 2021 at 9.30am Minutes | Import Licences for cannabis based products: Paper from CAG giving their opinion on the subject was submitted for the meeting today. RR noted that the paper has some inaccuracies in it. Talks about 2 different licencing regimes. Reading the paper and reading the minutes of the meeting when discussed, she thinks there is confusion on understanding. If it is a policy decision to go forward with import licencing then CAG position is that it will present issues for health and safety and wellbeing of people on island. Clinical advice is that generally these products are not advisable so not prescribable. There are licensed products that people can access through different routes. If DHSC is going ahead with pursuing import licences, it needs to be documented clearly, how we reached that decision and why it is not following clinical advice. RR suggested some slight amendments to the paper to make this clear, and are DHSC confident it is documented somewhere that they are not following clinical advice and why. AC asked for clarification around the matter. She assumed we were only allowing products that were | Hon. D Ashford, MHK Minister Mr J Moorhouse, MHK Mrs C Barber, MHK Mrs A Corlett, MHK Mrs K Sharpe, MLC Mrs K Magson, Interim CEO Mrs K Malone, Deputy CEO (Governance) Mrs C Conie, Exec Director of OHR Mr Phil Evans, Director of Strategy and Commissioning Mr Andrew Quayle, Finance Business Partner Mrs P Primrose, Executive Director, Finance Dr R Ranson, Medical Director Robin O’Connor, Transformation Lead |
| licenced. Queried if we are now saying we’re giving licences for unlicensed products? DA confirmed we are only referring to licenced products. Just the two in particular that are already available in the UK. Confirmed we are talking private prescriptions. Not NHS prescription. RR felt the paper was not referring to the licenced products, that was her understanding. Noted if our intention is to only allow importation of licenced cannabis medication then that needs to be clarified with CAG. KEM advised that things had moved on since the original paper from Maria Bell. RR to pick up with Maria and then co-author a paper for the next department meeting. Noting the question has changed; this is only for regulated cannabis. Import licences on regulated products, not unregulated. All agreed that the original action had been completed in relation to the original discussion, but that a new action was to be opened as above. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Members and CEO Update Meeting 30 June 2021 at 11.00am Minutes | Medicinal Cannabis Paper: Further revision. Options approach. A – Roll out for those which are NICE approved. B – Roll out further to non-licenced products. Pilot would be helpful to mitigate some of the risk. Medical and clinical input is to not do it. Separate paper written from them for the Department meeting next week. Manx Care have been asked for their views too. Need a blend of voices in this. JSY GSY and UK do allow non-licenced products. Option C – ??? RR to speak to her counterpart in JSY for their thoughts, which she will then put into her paper. Between now and next Friday noted it would be useful to play out questions members may have on the subject before it is discussed at Department. Important that everyone feels like they have had the opportunity to input into this. Minister will take subject to CoMin for information following the Department meeting, not for any further discussion as it is a decision for DHSC to make. | Kathryn Magson, CEO Jason Moorhouse, MHK Ann Corlett, MHK David Ashford, Minister |
| Department Meeting of Health and Social Care | Medicinal Cannabis: MB and HE joined the meeting at 10am. MB introduced the papers and noted – unlicensed products are what we’re coming under pressure to |
| DA – Yes. Answer is no for now as decided by the department members. Decision needs to be communicated. MB asked if it was worth exploring the subject further now or not. Decided that this was a huge amount of work. Cannot continue to keep this on the work programme. Can’t divert any more resource on this at the moment. RR thought it would be useful to collect details of people who write to the department about this for analysis. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Department Meeting of Health and Social Care 13 August 2021 at 09:30am Minutes | Medicinal Cannabis: AGs have said decision could be challenged but at the moment the process we have gone through is satisfactory. We need to plan to communicate this decision in the next couple of weeks with MK. CB only concern remains that we were told after the decision at last month’s department meeting that there was no opportunity to re-open this subject. But she felt there has to be the ability to continue work on this in the new department. KEM explained that it has got to come to a point where we stop discussing unless other evidence comes out, as it is draining resources. Noted that we weren’t closing it down completely for the future. She just felt that she can’t spend any more time going round the same loop. CB noted there was lack of clarity from beginning in terms of what we were talking about. Having a bigger group of people who could answer various questions members had when making the decision would have been beneficial. Facts needed around the operational parts of this. AC commented they weren’t comfortable with surrounding issues. If they had some clarification around that the decision may have been different. No further actions were taken. | Hon. D Ashford, MHK Minister Mr J Moorhouse, MHK Mrs C Barber, MHK Mrs A Corlett, MHK Mrs K Sharpe, MLC Mrs K Magson, Interim CEO Mr Phil Evans, Director of Strategy and Commissioning Ms J King, Director of Quality, Safety and Engagement Mrs C Conie, Exec Director of OHR Mr Andrew Quayle, Finance Business Partner Mrs P Primrose, Executive Director, Finance |
| Department Meeting of Health and Social Care 12 November 2021 at 09:00am Minutes | Medicinal cannabis – Members were asked whether they wanted to proceed and revisit decision which was made by previous administration. LH wants to go ahead with it. Feels it should be a clinician’s decision if they want to prescribe it. All members agreed they want to discuss this again. Henrietta to be invited to next meeting. | Hon. L Hooper, MHK, Minister Ms Joney Faragher, MHK Ms Tanya August-Hanson, MLC Mrs K Magson, Interim CEO Mrs K Malone, Deputy CEO (Governance) Ms J King, Director of Quality, Safety and Engagement |
| Mr A Quayle, Finance Business Partner Mr P Evans, Director of Strategy and Commissioning Miss B Cookson, Communications Mr Robin O’Connor, Transformation Lead | ||
|---|---|---|
| Department Meeting of Health and Social Care Friday 10 December 2021 at 09:30am Minutes | Medicinal Cannabis No more work done on this subject since July. As a department this has been through many iterations. Output from July was that it wasn’t supported by Members at that time. Reasoning was because it was felt it needed a wider debate around decriminalising cannabis in Tynwald. For information, RR was not supportive of this previously. Three choices - Do nothing, dispense NICE approved only, or dispense beyond NICE approved. The views taken from Manx Care previously were limited. No input from Drug treatment team. Decided not to issue any comms on this in July as it was during election period. Increasing number of questions coming in though now. Scope of this is limited. About granting import licences to manx residents who have gone to legal cannabis clinics in the UK, and those clinics wish to prescribe them an unlicensed cannabis based product. No one on island who would be able to open a cannabis clinic. Not talking about doing it on the NHS here. It’s for those who have gone private across. Talking about dispensing here rather than prescribing. Public consultation done – had good response and very obvious bias. GPs and specialists also contacted. Not many responded. Most didn’t want to be pressured into prescribing. Questioned asked as to what the department sees is the advantage of just giving one pharmacist the ability to dispense rather than give to all pharmacists. KEM confirmed we only have one pharmacy that was interested or able to do this. | Hon. L Hooper, MHK, Minister Ms Joney Faragher, MHK Dr Michelle Haywood, MHK Ms Tanya August-Hanson, MLC Mrs K Magson, Interim CEO Mrs K Malone, Deputy CEO (Governance) Ms J King, Director of Care Quality and Engagement Mrs C Conie, OHR Mr P Evans, Director of Strategy and Commissioning Mrs M Kenny, Communications Executive Mrs P Primrose, Executive Director, Finance |
Full Response Text
In response to FOI 2355293: Please find extract from minutes/meetings as below and attached. Minutes/Meeting Part referred Present Department Meeting of Health and Social Care 13 November 2020 at 09:15 Minutes DHSC position on issuing import licences for cannabis based (unlicensed) medicinal products MB joined the meeting to discuss the paper, and if the Department wishes to proceed, how do we do this and how we resource it.
The following provides a narrative of the discussions as this is a complex area and for the record the issues are captured below: IoM has the same customs area as the UK, but because of our legislation, in order to import controlled drugs they require an import licence. Like Jersey/Guernsey. Both islands handle this differently. Managed by the Chief Pharmacist in Jersey, and managed by Public Health in Guernsey. Significant and steady increase in licences being issued on both islands. Quite a resource demand on them. Other complexities to this also noted. Both islands have made changes to legislation regarding drug driving laws. Patients purchasing very expensive medicines. Resource implication on customs. Do we have the right to decline in terms of human rights – this hasn’t been answered.
MB has asked for comments from the Police and is awaiting feedback in respect of the impact on their enforcement related issues.
It is important to consider the protection of our staff. There is an implication for medics/nurses. MB has asked for policies and procedures from North West pharmacy group. Training issue too. Medics are not trained in medicinal products and how they may react to other medicines.
Some clinics have prescribed in the UK for patients in the IoM and they’re sitting in the UK not able to access. There appears to be patients who contact the clinics themselves. Noting clinics are registered with CQC. Part of the issuing of a licence is to confirm the medic is on the specialist register with GMC and that the clinic is registered. Will have to check every time they are prescribed. Pharmacies have to be registered too. There is a process of making sure everything is done properly.
Hon. D Ashford, MHK
Minister
Mr J Moorhouse, MHK
Mrs C Barber, MHK
Mrs A Corlett, MHK
Mrs K Sharpe, MLC
In attendance
Mrs K Magson, Interim CEO
Mrs C Quilliam, Director of
Nursing
Ms A Corkill, OHR Partner
Mrs B Scott, Director of
Infrastructure
Mrs P Primrose, Executive
Director, Finance
Dr R Ranson, Medical
Director
Mr R Wild, Chief
Information Officer
Mrs M Kenny,
Communications Executive
Mr Robin O’Connor,
Transformation Team
Mr Andrew Foster, Chair of
Manx Care
Mrs Maria Bell,
Pharmaceutical Advisor
CB in principle is on board with this, but commented
about the possibility of a budget bid in order to do
this. How can we proceed this without extra funding?
There will be a significant training and personnel
resource. MB doesn’t think our current teams can
absorb this job. We would be handling product we are
not hugely up to date with. CB commented that she is
not convinced this should be any different to any
other drugs that become available and we have to
give to patients. RR advised these are completely
different as they are unlicensed.
There are 4 companies who produce these products presently. All based in the Netherlands. Clinics decide what to prescribe. RR noted that our clinicians are not going to be able to continue the prescription, and it is not something that can be prescribed here at the moment. Then if it was, there maybe a risk to the clinician and their licence if they were not informed about interactions and effect of the drug. Also questions arose when a patient is admitted to Nobles and they require the drug. Withdrawal would have to be treated.
It was noted this would not be part of NICE TA approved drugs. However two products presently come under that umbrella.
DA commented that other jurisdictions manage this and seem to have overcome these issues raised. MB is waiting for them to share their policies on this. It was agreed there will be health impacts so MB to complete a health impact assessment for further review. DfE/DHA in partnership maybe be the best way to go.
Members agree we should continue to look at licences and impact. This matter will be referred to substance misuse steering group and the misuse of drugs advisory council for their comments. To be brought back to the Department meeting along with an options paper around different models. Including points raised today. Scoping of risks associated. Consider liaison with speaking to Dr Dashfield/pain clinic for their input and open consultation with our clinicians.
It was agreed the Risk assessment, impact assessment and options paper to be taken to clinical group first.
Department Meeting
of Health and Social
Care
12 February 2021 at
09:30am
Minutes (Draft)
Prescribing of cannabis based medicinal
products:
KM, MB & KEM had their first meeting with DEFA and
DfE noting there will be a second meeting. KEM noted
that there is not a big appetite for other Departments
to get involved. KEM noted that other options maybe
use of a third party pharmacy provider or a PIN
exercise. KEM advised there is one pharmacy who has
confirmed they wish to be involved, perhaps have
short term contract.
RR advised it has been to the Senior Clinical Advisory
Group who have considered the clinical implications.
RR advised that this group was not supportive. RR
noted that Dr Dashfield, who is an expert in this field,
advised that NICE have said that the evidence is
lacking. RR will submit a paper to the Department
meeting stating the reasons for CAG being clinically
against this proposal.
It was noted that KEM/TC will take over AM’s actions
on the action log.
AOB Medicinal Cannabis – paper to be submitted by RR, from Clinical Advisory Group. DA advised that he would like broader context about what is possible which includes consideration of what other jurisdictions provide.
Hon. D Ashford, MHK Minister Mr J Moorhouse, MHK Mrs C Barber, MHK Mrs A Corlett, MHK Mrs K Sharpe, MLC Mrs K Magson, Interim CEO Mrs K Malone, Deputy CEO (Governance) Mr A Foster, Manx Care Chair Ms D Brayshaw, Children and Family Services Mrs P Primrose, Executive Director, Finance Dr R Ranson, Medical Director Mrs C Conie, OHR Mrs M Kenny, Communications Executive Ms M Taylor, Communications Executive
Department Meeting of Health and Social Care 9 April 2021 at 09:30am Minutes Medicinal Cannabis: No paper. Verbal position from KEM. ACMD group have given their opinion now. Last spoke about maybe DEFA or DFE taking this on, but not much appetite for it.
Discussed with Maria Bell about whether we could do it another way, and put out a PIN for a specialist on island who could manage whole process. We would procure out. Tested it out with one particular pharmacy who are keen to do this. Medican – operate in Jersey. Well respected on island. Able to manage this and have said they would be happy to run it. We would have to issue one licence to them then pilot it for a year and get updates from them. Paid based on cost of product. Wouldn’t come at a cost to Department.
ACMD group said they would be happy with this.
AGs seen it too – asked if they would be happy for us
to issue PIN and we would have MOU in place with
pharmacy. Looking good. JK’s team would need to
oversee licence and organisation delivering for us.
Hon. D Ashford, MHK
Minister
Mr J Moorhouse, MHK
Mrs C Barber, MHK
Mrs A Corlett, MHK
Mrs K Sharpe, MLC
Mrs K Magson, Interim CEO
Mrs K Malone, Deputy CEO
(Governance)
Ms J King, Director of
Quality, Safety and
Engagement
Mrs C Conie, OHR
Mrs M Kenny,
Communications Executive
Mr Andrew Quayle, Finance
Business Partner
Mrs P Primrose, Executive
Director, Financial Advisory
Service
Plan for paper to come for department’s approval to go ahead with this.
CAG did discuss it and are not in favour of this. Action from CAG to bring report back here. Report not completed yet. Dr Dashfield author of report. Intention is to ask Dr Dashfield to revisit with Dr Sree Adenole and come back. Looking for paper to come to next meeting. Need mitigation plan from Nobles on how they can manage this appropriately. Not appropriate for us to do nothing. If we have a pharmacy wiling to engage, that resolves a few of the issues. Would cap number of products they can prescribe too. With AGs at the moment.
KS asked what happens if further pharmacies want to do the same thing. Would it be a no, or would we have to look at giving licensing to others. KEM advised that for the period of the pilot we would only have one pharmacy. If we commissioned it longer term we could open it up to others.
Members and CEO Meeting 28 April 2021 at 11.00am Minutes
Medicinal Cannabis:
Expressions of Interest are going out. AGs just
finishing contract. Paper to confirm pilot will come
back to department meeting.
David Ashford, Minister Kathryn Magson, CEO Clare Barber, MHK Jason Moorhouse, MHK Kerry Sharpe, MLC Ann Corlett, MHK
Department Meeting of Health and Social Care 14 May 2021 at 9.30am Minutes Import Licences for cannabis based products: Paper from CAG giving their opinion on the subject was submitted for the meeting today. RR noted that the paper has some inaccuracies in it. Talks about 2 different licencing regimes. Reading the paper and reading the minutes of the meeting when discussed, she thinks there is confusion on understanding. If it is a policy decision to go forward with import licencing then CAG position is that it will present issues for health and safety and wellbeing of people on island. Clinical advice is that generally these products are not advisable so not prescribable. There are licensed products that people can access through different routes. If DHSC is going ahead with pursuing import licences, it needs to be documented clearly, how we reached that decision and why it is not following clinical advice. RR suggested some slight amendments to the paper to make this clear, and are DHSC confident it is documented somewhere that they are not following clinical advice and why.
AC asked for clarification around the matter. She
assumed we were only allowing products that were
Hon. D Ashford, MHK
Minister
Mr J Moorhouse, MHK
Mrs C Barber, MHK
Mrs A Corlett, MHK
Mrs K Sharpe, MLC
Mrs K Magson, Interim CEO
Mrs K Malone, Deputy CEO
(Governance)
Mrs C Conie, Exec Director
of OHR
Mr Phil Evans, Director of
Strategy and
Commissioning
Mr Andrew Quayle, Finance
Business Partner
Mrs P Primrose, Executive
Director, Finance
Dr R Ranson, Medical
Director
Robin O’Connor,
Transformation Lead
licenced. Queried if we are now saying we’re giving
licences for unlicensed products?
DA confirmed we are only referring to licenced products. Just the two in particular that are already available in the UK. Confirmed we are talking private prescriptions. Not NHS prescription. RR felt the paper was not referring to the licenced products, that was her understanding. Noted if our intention is to only allow importation of licenced cannabis medication then that needs to be clarified with CAG.
KEM advised that things had moved on since the original paper from Maria Bell. RR to pick up with Maria and then co-author a paper for the next department meeting. Noting the question has changed; this is only for regulated cannabis. Import licences on regulated products, not unregulated.
All agreed that the original action had been completed in relation to the original discussion, but that a new action was to be opened as above.
Members and CEO Update Meeting 30 June 2021 at 11.00am Minutes
Medicinal Cannabis Paper: Further revision. Options approach. A – Roll out for those which are NICE approved. B – Roll out further to non-licenced products. Pilot would be helpful to mitigate some of the risk. Medical and clinical input is to not do it. Separate paper written from them for the Department meeting next week. Manx Care have been asked for their views too. Need a blend of voices in this. JSY GSY and UK do allow non-licenced products. Option C – ???
RR to speak to her counterpart in JSY for their thoughts, which she will then put into her paper.
Between now and next Friday noted it would be useful to play out questions members may have on the subject before it is discussed at Department.
Important that everyone feels like they have had the opportunity to input into this. Minister will take subject to CoMin for information following the Department meeting, not for any further discussion as it is a decision for DHSC to make.
Kathryn Magson, CEO Jason Moorhouse, MHK Ann Corlett, MHK David Ashford, Minister Department Meeting of Health and Social Care Medicinal Cannabis: MB and HE joined the meeting at 10am. MB introduced the papers and noted – unlicensed products are what we’re coming under pressure to
9 July 2021 at 09:30am Minutes prescribe. Asked Legislation team if we had a legal position not to issue licence. We have vires to issue but do we have a legal position not to? Still looking at this, but legislation is enabling us to do it.
JM asked are these products likely to remain unlicensed. MB said from her perspective very few clinical trials have been carried out. Would only do so when they have robust data set from trials. Not likely to happen any time soon.
Question for members is should they consider importation of these products. RR set out indications in her paper. Conclusions are there isn’t evidence and they aren’t recommended for pain or anxiety. Pain clinic don’t want these because they aren’t recommended by colleges, so wouldn’t be pursuing these. They are controlled drugs.
CB asked how we would dispense if people are convicted of criminal activity. If we’re saying it has medical value, but only giving it to private patients, creating inequality of treatment.
CB would prefer proper decriminalisation. Little control when it goes into the general public (sold on). What other things would fall into this that aren’t cannabis based. Discomfort for her. Would be more in favour of decriminalising cannabis.
KS noted that she wrestled with this decision. If people want access to something they think will help them, why stop them. But if the product isn’t licensed should DHSC get involved? How could DHSC put financial resources into this when it’s not supporting something like NICE TAs for example? MB advised model suggested to use one pharmacy, was suggested because it’s more controlled. GSY commented if they used this in the
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