Espoir (Im)patient invites French healthcare professionals to learn about prescribing cannabis for therapeutic purposes

The conversation surrounding medical cannabis and its legal regulation continues.

A few weeks ago, the« joint information mission on the regulation and impact of different uses of cannabis »was launched at the French National Assembly. At the same time, the CST tasked by the ANSM with studying the operational parameters of the issue is making progress, with plans for the start of French experimentation in September 2020.

While we await the transition of conversations towards regulatory change, one question remains: are healthcare professionals sufficiently aware of the use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes in patients? While some are already familiar with the subject, others know little or nothing about it. This may be due to the stigma attached to the use of these products, or simply to a lack of information about this plant that has hitherto been banned from mainstream medical circles.

To this end, ANSM is planning a compulsory 3.5-hour e-learning course for future doctors and pharmacists taking part in the trial. The program will be developed by teachers, clinicians and patient experts. Validation of the proposed modules will enable them to prescribe and dispense cannabis-based medicines to patients, as well as being included in the follow-up register. This program is the fruit of a compromise to provide training that will be both sufficiently well attended, especially by GPs, and sufficiently comprehensive to give prescribers confidence in their ability to move forward on this subject with their patients.

But the fact remains. At this stage of the conversation, only a very small number of people have been initiated. Visit Espoir (Im)patient platform invites healthcare professionals to join them for a second Round Table on February 15, 2020 at the 11th arrondissement town hall, starting at 9:00 am. This meeting will be an opportunity for patients to make their voices heard and share their personal experiences.

This participatory process supports the government's new approach of considering cannabis as a medicine in its own right, with its own particularities comparable to products undergoing a conventional MA process.

To register, simply to fill in this questionnaire.

Date Saturday, February 15, 2020
Location Salle des Fêtes de la Mairie du 11ème arrondissement, 12 Place Léon Blum, Paris.
Opening hours 9am-1pm