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<p>The Government is clear that the decision to prescribe a cannabis-based product
for medicinal use should only be made where it is clinically appropriate and in the
best interest of the patient. This will be subject to local National Health Service
governance and funding arrangements for prescribing unlicensed medicines, and patients
will not be able to be prescribed such products by their general practitioner – and
would require referral to a specialist clinician on the basis of clinical need.</p><p>The
evidence base for cannabis-based products for medicinal use is still developing. However,
the changes to the law are designed to encourage further research and the National
Institute for Health Research has issued two calls for research proposals to rapidly
advance knowledge in this area and remains open to research proposals outside of these
calls in this priority area.</p><p>Interim clinical guidance, issued by the Royal
College of Physicians, British Paediatric Neurology Association and Association of
British Neurologists is based on the best available international evidence and reflects
clinical guidance that has been published in other jurisdictions. This guidance will
be updated and replaced in October 2019 by that commissioned from the National Institute
for Health and Care Excellence.</p>
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