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1173615

registered interest
date	27/01/2020
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Cannabis: Medical Treatments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions officials of his Department has had with officials of the Home Office to ensure there are no undue delays in granting import licences for cannabis-based products for medicinal use; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Inverclyde
tabling member printed	Ronnie Cowan
uin	8359
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>We are aware that some wholesalers and pharmacies have reported challenges in importing a range of unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use. It is clear that for some products, long lead times and delays in receiving export licences from the authorities in the country of manufacture, have led to delays in the supply against prescriptions and pose a potential risk to patients receiving their medicines on time.</p><p>The Department, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the Home Office, NHS England and NHS Improvement are in the process of agreeing what action can be taken to help alleviate these delays, including exploring mechanisms to allow licensed wholesalers to hold a small reserve stock linked to an evidenced demand by specialist prescribers; and ensuring that the United Kingdom meets its obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Any changes will be reflected in the guidance published by the MHRA.</p><p>In the meantime, the Home Office and the MHRA are treating all import requests for cannabis-based products for medicinal use as emergency supplies and on receipt of the correct documentation, applicants can expect a decision within a few working days.</p><p>No meetings have taken place with representatives of patient groups concerning the reported delays to imports of cannabis-base products for medicinal use. Officials did meet with patient groups in the development of this policy when the previous Government rescheduled cannabis-based products for medicinal use under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill grouped question UIN 8360 8361 question first answered 04/02/2020 17:26:56 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4465 label Biography information for Ronnie Cowan

1173616

registered interest
date	27/01/2020
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Cannabis: Medical Treatments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what meetings (a) he, (b) Special Advisers to ministers of his Department, and (c) officials of his Department have attended with representatives of patient groups on the import of cannabis-based products for medicinal use since 1 January 2018.
tabling member constituency	Inverclyde
tabling member printed	Ronnie Cowan
uin	8360
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>We are aware that some wholesalers and pharmacies have reported challenges in importing a range of unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use. It is clear that for some products, long lead times and delays in receiving export licences from the authorities in the country of manufacture, have led to delays in the supply against prescriptions and pose a potential risk to patients receiving their medicines on time.</p><p>The Department, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the Home Office, NHS England and NHS Improvement are in the process of agreeing what action can be taken to help alleviate these delays, including exploring mechanisms to allow licensed wholesalers to hold a small reserve stock linked to an evidenced demand by specialist prescribers; and ensuring that the United Kingdom meets its obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Any changes will be reflected in the guidance published by the MHRA.</p><p>In the meantime, the Home Office and the MHRA are treating all import requests for cannabis-based products for medicinal use as emergency supplies and on receipt of the correct documentation, applicants can expect a decision within a few working days.</p><p>No meetings have taken place with representatives of patient groups concerning the reported delays to imports of cannabis-base products for medicinal use. Officials did meet with patient groups in the development of this policy when the previous Government rescheduled cannabis-based products for medicinal use under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill grouped question UIN 8359 8361 question first answered 04/02/2020 17:26:56 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4465 label Biography information for Ronnie Cowan

1173619

registered interest
date	27/01/2020
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Cannabis: Medical Treatments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the guidance document entitled, The supply, manufacture, importation and distribution of unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use in humans specials, published by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, whether his Department has plans to update that guidance.
tabling member constituency	Inverclyde
tabling member printed	Ronnie Cowan
uin	8361
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>We are aware that some wholesalers and pharmacies have reported challenges in importing a range of unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use. It is clear that for some products, long lead times and delays in receiving export licences from the authorities in the country of manufacture, have led to delays in the supply against prescriptions and pose a potential risk to patients receiving their medicines on time.</p><p>The Department, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the Home Office, NHS England and NHS Improvement are in the process of agreeing what action can be taken to help alleviate these delays, including exploring mechanisms to allow licensed wholesalers to hold a small reserve stock linked to an evidenced demand by specialist prescribers; and ensuring that the United Kingdom meets its obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Any changes will be reflected in the guidance published by the MHRA.</p><p>In the meantime, the Home Office and the MHRA are treating all import requests for cannabis-based products for medicinal use as emergency supplies and on receipt of the correct documentation, applicants can expect a decision within a few working days.</p><p>No meetings have taken place with representatives of patient groups concerning the reported delays to imports of cannabis-base products for medicinal use. Officials did meet with patient groups in the development of this policy when the previous Government rescheduled cannabis-based products for medicinal use under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill grouped question UIN 8359 8360 question first answered 04/02/2020 17:26:56 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4465 label Biography information for Ronnie Cowan

1171131

registered interest
date	15/01/2020
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Cannabis: Medical Treatments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many prescriptions for medical cannabis were issued by the NHS in 2019.
tabling member constituency	Inverclyde
tabling member printed	Ronnie Cowan
uin	3830
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2020 answer text <p>NHS England and NHS Improvement is using extant systems to monitor the use of unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use in England. In England, these systems monitor the number of items dispensed and associated costs in primary care and the volume of products used and associated cost in secondary care. NHS England and NHS Improvement Controlled Drug Accountable Officers are also collecting local intelligence in both the National Health Service and independent sector.</p><p>The NHS Business Services Authority is only able to provide information on prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines that have been prescribed and submitted to it. The NHS Business Services Authority does not hold information on prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines which have been issued but not fulfilled.</p><p>The following table shows the number of items for Nabilone, Sativex and Epidyolex (licensed cannabis-based medicines) and unlicensed cannabis-based medicines that were prescribed on an NHS prescription, dispensed in the community and submitted to the NHS Business Services Authority for reimbursement between January and October 2019 (October 2019 is the most recent dispensing data held by the NHS Business Services Authority).</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2"><p>Month</p></td><td colspan="3"><p>Licensed Cannabis-based medicines</p></td><td rowspan="2"><p>Unlicensed cannabis-based medicines</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nabilone</p></td><td><p>Sativex</p></td><td><p>Epidyolex *</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2019</p></td><td><p>44</p></td><td><p>167</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2019</p></td><td><p>36</p></td><td><p>159</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2019</p></td><td><p>51</p></td><td><p>171</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2019</p></td><td><p>49</p></td><td><p>156</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2019</p></td><td><p>59</p></td><td><p>176</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2019</p></td><td><p>47</p></td><td><p>187</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2019</p></td><td><p>54</p></td><td><p>158</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2019</p></td><td><p>46</p></td><td><p>174</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2019</p></td><td><p>58</p></td><td><p>179</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2019</p></td><td><p>46</p></td><td><p>173</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>490</p></td><td><p>1,700</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Grand Total</p></td><td colspan="4"><p>2,206</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Note:</p><p>*Epidyolex was unlicensed prior to September 2019; no NHS prescriptions for Epidyolex have been submitted at the time this data was produced. In addition to the above, approximately 185 patients have accessed Epidyolex through the manufacturer’s (GW Pharma) early access programmes, ahead of a licensing decision by the European Medicines Agency.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 23/01/2020 12:23:43 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4465 label Biography information for Ronnie Cowan

1150683

registered interest
date	18/10/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Cannabis: Medical Treatments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many prescriptions for medical cannabis have been issued on the NHS since the rescheduling of cannabis-based products.
tabling member constituency	Inverclyde
tabling member printed	Ronnie Cowan
uin	1918
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2019 answer text <p>Cannabis-based products for medicinal use were rescheduled on 1 November 2018 to allow clinicians on the General Medical Council’s ‘Specialist Register’ to prescribe cannabis-based products for medicinal use, where clinically appropriate and in the best interest of patients.</p><p>NHS England and NHS Improvement is using extant systems to monitor use of the newly rescheduled unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use in England. In England, these systems monitor the number of items dispensed and associated costs in primary care and the volume of products used and associated cost in secondary care. NHS England’s and NHS Improvement’s Controlled Drug Accountable Officers are also collecting local intelligence in both the National Health Service and independent sector.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 23/10/2019 16:56:26 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4465 label Biography information for Ronnie Cowan

1150684

registered interest
date	18/10/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Cannabis: Medical Treatments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many prescriptions for medical cannabis were issued on the NHS from November 2017 to November 2018.
tabling member constituency	Inverclyde
tabling member printed	Ronnie Cowan
uin	1919
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2019 answer text <p>NHS England and Improvement is using extant systems to monitor use of the newly rescheduled unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use in England. In England, these systems monitor the number of items dispensed and associated costs in primary care and the volume of products used and associated cost in secondary care. NHS England’s and NHS Improvement’s Controlled Drug Accountable Officers are also collecting local intelligence in both the NHS and independent sector.</p><p>The NHS Business Services Authority is only able to provide information on prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines that have been prescribed and submitted to the NHS Business Services Authority. It does not hold information on prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines which have been issued but not fulfilled.</p><p>The following table shows the number of items for Nabilone and Sativex (licensed cannabis-based medicines) and unlicensed cannabis-based medicines that were prescribed on an National Health Service prescription, dispensed in the community and submitted to the NHS Business Services Authority for reimbursement between November 2017 and November 2018.</p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2"><p>Month</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>Licensed cannabis-based medicines</p></td><td rowspan="2"><p>Unlicensed cannabis-based medicines</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nabilone</p></td><td><p>Sativex</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2017</p></td><td><p>44</p></td><td><p>174</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>December 2017</p></td><td><p>58</p></td><td><p>202</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2018</p></td><td><p>54</p></td><td><p>171</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2018</p></td><td><p>44</p></td><td><p>158</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2018</p></td><td><p>47</p></td><td><p>182</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2018</p></td><td><p>48</p></td><td><p>145</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2018</p></td><td><p>45</p></td><td><p>183</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2018</p></td><td><p>42</p></td><td><p>157</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2018</p></td><td><p>48</p></td><td><p>170</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2018</p></td><td><p>54</p></td><td><p>161</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2018</p></td><td><p>45</p></td><td><p>172</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2018</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>164</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2018</p></td><td><p>46</p></td><td><p>175</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>625</p></td><td><p>2,214</p></td><td><p>5</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Unlike NHS primary care where all dispensed prescriptions are processed centrally for payment, this is not the case for secondary care. This information is collected by a third party and not routinely published.</p> answering member constituency Bury St Edmunds answering member printed Jo Churchill question first answered 23/10/2019 17:00:08 answering member 4380 label Biography information for Jo Churchill
tabling member	4465 label Biography information for Ronnie Cowan