{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2018-11-15&answeringDeptSortName=Health+and+Social+Care&max-date=2019-06-13&hansardHeading=Cannabis%3A+Medical+Treatments", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2018-11-15&answeringDeptSortName=Health+and+Social+Care&max-date=2019-06-13&hansardHeading=Cannabis%3A+Medical+Treatments", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2018-11-15&answeringDeptSortName=Health+and+Social+Care&max-date=2019-06-13&_metadata=all&hansardHeading=Cannabis%3A+Medical+Treatments", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2018-11-15&_page=0&answeringDeptSortName=Health+and+Social+Care&max-date=2019-06-13&hansardHeading=Cannabis%3A+Medical+Treatments", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2018-11-15&answeringDeptSortName=Health+and+Social+Care&max-date=2019-06-13&hansardHeading=Cannabis%3A+Medical+Treatments", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.dateOfAnswer=2018-11-15&answeringDeptSortName=Health+and+Social+Care&max-date=2019-06-13&hansardHeading=Cannabis%3A+Medical+Treatments", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132025", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132025/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Prior to the change of the law on 1 November 2018, only cannabis-based products that had been given a marketing authorisation (product licence) by the medicines regulators, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) or European Medicines Agency could be prescribed. Before issuing a marketing authorisation the MHRA accesses all the available evidence on efficacy and safety arising out of pre-clinical research and clinical trials and evidence and information supplied by the manufacturer. The regulators also inspect the factory where the medicine is to be made, to make sure that supplies will be of a uniformly and consistently high standard.<\/p>
<\/p>
The following cannabis-based products and related products received a marketing authorisation in the United Kingdom/European Union before 1 November 2018:<\/p>
<\/p>
- Sativex - (produced by GW Pharmaceuticals) containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol - holds a licence for spasticity in multiple sclerosis; and<\/p>
- Nabilone - (multiple manufacturers) which contains a synthetic, non-natural cannabinoid which mimics THC, holds a marketing authorisation for nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.<\/p>
<\/p>
In addition, Epidiolex (also produced by GW Pharmaceuticals from cannabis) for two severe forms of intractable epilepsy (Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome or Dravet Syndrome), is currently being considered for a marketing authorisation by the European Medicines Agency.<\/p>
<\/p>
The change in the law allows the prescription, by specialist doctors on the General Medical Council\u2019s Specialist Register, of cannabis-based products that have not been through this rigorous process but that meet certain quality standards in cases where all licensed products have been considered and discounted and it is in the best interest of the patient. It also makes<\/p>
it easier and will incentivise further research into the potential health benefits of cannabis-based products and the development of further licensed products for more routine use in the health service.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4455", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Seema Kennedy"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Ribble"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Seema Kennedy"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-18T16:31:54.17Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cannabis: Medical Treatments"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how and by whom medical cannabis was produced in the UK before its legalisation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4385", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Philippa Whitford"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Central Ayrshire"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Philippa Whitford"} ], "uin" : "264425"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131293", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131293/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Any company meeting the standards for the manufacture of unlicensed medicinal products, can supply cannabis-based products for medicinal use.<\/p>
<\/p>
Cannabis-based products for medicinal use are Schedule 2 controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, which means that manufacturers, importers and distributors of these products must hold valid Home Office and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) licences for the relevant activities which will include possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Where products are sourced from abroad, importers must obtain an import licence from the Home Office and non-objection to import from the MHRA for each individual import of a controlled drug.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> <\/strong><\/p> <\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4455", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Seema Kennedy"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Ribble"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Seema Kennedy"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-19T09:39:54.803Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cannabis: Medical Treatments"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many companies are licensed to sell cannabis products to the NHS.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4390", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ian Blackford"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ross, Skye and Lochaber"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ian Blackford"}
], "uin" : "263171"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131321", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131321/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The law was changed on 1 November 2018 to allow clinicians on the General Medical Council\u2019s \u2018Specialist Register\u2019 to prescribe cannabis-based products for medicinal use, where clinically appropriate and in the best interest of patients.<\/p> Interim clinical guidance has been issued by the Royal College of Physicians, the British Paediatric Neurology Association and the Association of British Neurologists to support doctors looking to prescribe cannabis-based products. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has been commissioned to develop updated clinical guidance on the prescribing of cannabis-based medicinal products, which will be published by October 2019. It will be based on the best available international evidence and will have been produced using NICE\u2019s world-renowned process for delivering such guidance.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4455", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Seema Kennedy"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Ribble"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Seema Kennedy"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-19T14:21:18.483Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cannabis: Medical Treatments"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on ensuring that medical cannabis is available to people who need it.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birkenhead"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Frank Field"}
], "uin" : "263063"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128815", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128815/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " 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> 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> 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>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4455", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Seema Kennedy"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Ribble"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Seema Kennedy"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-11T16:52:22.153Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cannabis: Medical Treatments"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all patients who would benefit from medical cannabis are able to access that treatment on prescription on the NHS.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birkenhead"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Frank Field"}
], "uin" : "259011"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1129369", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1129369/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " In developing policy on the rescheduling of cannabis-based products for medicinal use, the Government has applied existing arrangements for accessing licensed and unlicensed medicines on the National Health Service. The Department has not had discussions with NHS England, manufacturers or the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on funding arrangements for accessing licensed or unlicensed cannabis-based products, beyond the existing arrangements.<\/p> The recent changes to the law to reschedule cannabis-based products for medicinal use, does not impact on the availability of existing licensed cannabis-based medicinal products, such as Sativex and Nabilone. 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 NICE. This is the foundation of NHS decisions about routine funding, and applies to all licensed medicines.<\/p> 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> <\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4455", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Seema Kennedy"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Ribble"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Seema Kennedy"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-11T16:54:00.047Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cannabis: Medical Treatments"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with (a) NHS England, (b) manufacturers and (c) NICE on funding arrangements for accessing (a) licensed and (b) unlicensed cannabis-based medicines on the NHS.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1511", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dudley North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ian Austin"}
], "uin" : "259109"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128441", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128441/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " An initial impact assessment was published alongside The Misuse of Drugs (Amendments) (Cannabis and Licence Fees) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2018. This can be viewed at the following link:<\/p> http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/1055/impacts<\/a><\/p> This set out the approach that the Government proposed to take in assessing the costs and benefits of the change in the law at a population level, with regard to the rescheduling of cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPM). This framework included potential savings in treatment costs, giving the example of patients with severe epilepsy for whom medicinal use of cannabis could reduce the frequency of seizures and reduce the number of related hospital admissions. This was an initial framework for assessing this policy and as we develop our knowledge in this area, both on the costs and the potential benefits, we can revisit and refine these assessments.<\/p> In the meantime, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is developing clinical guidelines on the appropriate use of CBPM based on the best available evidence, and the National Institute for Health Research is funding further clinical research on this. More information is available at the following link:<\/p> https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding-and-support/documents/themed-calls/cannabis-based%20products/cannabis-based-products-brief.pdf<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4455", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Seema Kennedy"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Ribble"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Seema Kennedy"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-10T13:23:02.387Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cannabis: Medical Treatments"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of evidence base on the cost-effectiveness of medical cannabis.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sir Mike Penning"}
], "uin" : "257705"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128442", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128442/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department for International Trade and the Department of Health and Social Care are not specifically collecting data on the growth of the market for cannabis based products for medicinal use in the United Kingdom.<\/ins><\/p> However, data from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) shows growing numbers of import notifications for medicinal cannabis and the Home Office has received increased numbers of licence applications.<\/ins><\/p> In addition, UK companies exporting these products and foreign companies looking to invest in the UK have full access to government support, where they have the necessary authorisations from the MHRA and Home Office and a relevant Export Licence.<\/ins><\/p><\/ins><\/p>An initial impact assessment was published alongside The Misuse of Drugs (Amendments) (Cannabis and Licence Fees) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2018. This can be viewed at the following link:<\/del><\/p>http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/1055/impacts<\/a><\/del><\/p>This set out the approach that the Government proposed to take in assessing the costs and benefits of the change in the law at a population level, with regard to the rescheduling of cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPM). This framework included potential savings in treatment costs, giving the example of patients with severe epilepsy for whom medicinal use of cannabis could reduce the frequency of seizures and reduce the number of related hospital admissions. This was an initial framework for assessing this policy and as we develop our knowledge in this area, both on the costs and the potential benefits, we can revisit and refine these assessments.<\/del><\/p>