Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Medicinal Cannabis

Tuesday 14 June 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Michael Fabricant inquired about steps to ensure NHS patients have access to medicinal cannabis.
  • The Minister acknowledged the long-standing efforts of Michael Fabricant on this issue.
  • The Minister discussed the availability of funding for clinical trials through the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Michael Fabricant Con
NHS
Context

In November 2018, the law was changed to allow prescription of cannabis-based products for medicinal use by specialists. However, young children are not getting this medicine on the NHS, and some families are paying £2,000 a month.

Question

If he will take steps to help ensure access to medicinal cannabis for NHS patients. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that answer, particularly as she mentioned 2018, because it was of course her boss, the Secretary of State for Health, who was the pioneer in all this when he was Home Secretary. But there is a “but” coming, and it is that young children are not getting this vital medicine on the NHS. Some are having to pay £2,000 a month, and in the last three years only three prescriptions have been issued on the NHS. How can we improve the situation?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

My hon. Friend has been campaigning on this issue for a long time, particularly on the tragic case of his constituent, Vicky Clarke. I have met the all-party parliamentary group on medical cannabis under prescription and we have had debates on the issue in this place and in Westminster Hall. The key is to get those products licensed, and we have been in discussion with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on how to do this. It is about gathering the evidence base. I am pleased to say that NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Research have recently announced two clinical randomised controlled trials to try to build that evidence base to get more of these products licensed.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about improving access for young children was not directly addressed, focusing instead on the broader issue of licensing and evidence gathering.

How: We Have Been In Discussion, It Is About Gathering The Evidence Base

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Q2 Michael Fabricant Con
NHS Scotland Science & Technology
Context

The lack of clinical trials and insufficient evidence are barriers to prescribing medicinal cannabis, despite ongoing debates on the issue in Parliament.

Question

The lack of evidence on the quality, safety and efficiency of cannabis-based products for medical use is the main barrier to their being prescribed by NHS clinicians, which is why the SNP continues to support the development of clinical trials. Without proper funding, the UK Government are holding back potential successful health outcomes, so what steps are they taking to increase the priority of medicinal cannabis in research funding?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I met the responsible Scottish Minister in April to discuss this issue. There is not a lack of funding. The National Institute for Health and Care Research has funding available but we are not seeing bids, so this is a plea to the clinicians, researchers and groups for those to come forward. The NHRA is also happy to meet any groups considering undertaking clinical research to ensure that it is the type of research that will provide the evidence they need to licence these products.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about increasing funding was not directly addressed, instead focusing on existing funding and encouraging bids.

How: There Is Not A Lack Of Funding, So This Is A Plea To The Clinicians

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Q3 Martyn Day SNP
NHS Scotland Science & Technology
Context

The need for clinical trials and evidence gathering is crucial before NHS can prescribe cannabis-based products.

Question

The lack of evidence on the quality, safety and efficiency of cannabis-based products for medical use is the main barrier to their being prescribed by NHS clinicians, which is why the SNP continues to support the development of clinical trials. Without proper funding, the UK Government are holding back potential successful health outcomes, so what steps are they taking to increase the priority of medicinal cannabis in research funding?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I met the responsible Scottish Minister in April to discuss this issue. There is not a lack of funding. The National Institute for Health and Care Research has funding available but we are not seeing bids, so this is a plea to the clinicians, researchers and groups for those to come forward. The NHRA is also happy to meet any groups considering undertaking clinical research to ensure that it is the type of research that will provide the evidence they need to licence these products.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about increasing funding was not directly addressed, instead focusing on existing funding and encouraging bids.

How: There Is Not A Lack Of Funding, So This Is A Plea To The Clinicians

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