Trial of medical cannabis delayed?

Nonchalance, strikes, and coronavirus: the experimentation of therapeutic cannabis has so far suffered the consequences of current events and a lack of consideration from health authorities. While several patient associations they take a stand and are worried about a possible delay, the confirmation that the therapeutic cannabis experiment will be held in France is being made by word of mouth.

Medical Cannabis, A Voluntary Emergency

On paper, the therapeutic cannabis experiment was due to start at the end of 2019. A first phase of 6 months dedicated to the implementation methods of the experiment was to initiate the process, followed by 1 year of prescription to 3000 patients then 6 months of analysis of field data for possible legalization thereafter.

Problem: To date, the study phase has not yet been finalized. The experiment lacks 3,000 patients, has not trained healthcare professionals, and still does not know which products will be dispensed or who will provide them, let alone with what budget.

Additional alert, paragraph 3 of Article 1 of the bill of law to address the consequences of COVID-19 provided for the postponement of «assessments conducted on the basis of Article 37-1 of the Constitution.». An amendment filed by deputies attached to the subject, nevertheless intended to exempt medical cannabis from a potential postponement. The government ultimately deleted paragraph 3. And Emmanuelle Fontaine Domeizel, rapporteur of the MI's medical cannabis theme, to confirm that the COVID-19 bill will not postpone the experiment.

The experimentation of # Medical Cannabis must remain a priority for patients, and my fellow lawmakers and I will continue to monitor developments closely. Despite some concerns, the bill on the consequences of COVID-19 does not postpone the trial. pic.twitter.com/n03GIruSWs

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— Emmanuelle Fontaine Domeizel (@FontainDomeizel) May 14, 2020

Patients who are members of the CST and patient associations are not guaranteed, however, that another reason will be invoked next September, the most rational being the schedule. In 7 years, France has not couldn't get Sativex at the pharmacy. We have three and a half months left to supply 3,000 patients with medication and set up a prescription system for a new drug, with the summer break in between.

Fully aware of what is at stake, the organizations Principes Actifs and UFCM-I-Care, who serve on the ANSM’s Scientific Advisory Committee, ... are already calling on the government to «make it possible to prescribe medical cannabis on a widespread basis» and «dispense cannabis throughout the country without the need to register and/or participate in this pilot program.».