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<p>Cannabis-based products for medicinal use are no different from other medicines,
and existing systems for the funding of both licensed and unlicensed medicines apply.</p><p>Any
medicines which receive a marketing authorisation from the Medicines and Healthcare
Products Regulatory Agency or European Medicines Agency will be assessed for cost
effectiveness by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. This is the
foundation of National Health Service decisions about routine funding, and applies
to all licensed medicines. For unlicensed medicines, the normal NHS medicines governance
systems apply, as they do to all locally funded unlicensed treatments. These processes
support good clinical practice and safe and effective prescribing. Decisions will
be taken, at NHS Trust level on a case by case basis, based on the needs of the individual
patient and the evidence of efficacy and cost effectiveness available.</p><p>My Rt.
hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has heard patients report
difficulties in accessing medicinal cannabis. As a result, he asked the Department
to work closely with NHS England to undertake a rapid process evaluation. This is
underway and will review NHS system processes to identify and make recommendations
to address any barriers to clinically appropriate prescribing, should they exist.</p>
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