The NHS and UK Government are being urged to consider the new, expert guidance for prescribing medical cannabis put forward by the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society.
In response to the publication of long-awaited guidance from the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) in late 2019, the Medical Cannabis Clinicians’ Society today have issued updated guidance for doctors looking to understand more about prescribing medical cannabis.
Medical cannabis is ‘unfairly denied to patients’ because the regulators do not understand medical cannabis treatment, according to Professor Mike Barnes of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS). The MCCS is now urging the NHS and government to consider the new, expert guidance it has put forward that will help doctors when looking to prescribe.
New guidance for prescribing medical cannabis
Recommendations and Guidance on Medical Cannabis under Prescription by The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS) sets out the facts about medical cannabis treatments – history, evidence and prescribing information.
In conjunction with the Society’s recently published Roadmap for UK Doctors – a step by step guide for cannabis prescribers – clinicians in the UK can feel reassured that they are supported every step of the way by an independent community of medical cannabis experts.
Chair of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, Professor Mike Barnes said: “Medical cannabis is being unfairly denied to patients in the NHS because the regulators do not understand the treatment. People in the UK are being left to suffer because NICE, the Department for Health and Social Care and the NHS have thus far failed to provide doctors with fair and balanced guidelines when it comes to prescribing medical cannabis.
“Medical cannabis does not fit into the pharmaceutical model which depends on randomised controlled trials and it is disappointing that NICE does not acknowledge this in their guidelines. They simply reject the wealth of other global evidence.
“The MCCS guidance, updated and reissued today, goes beyond this inadequate view and considers the extensive evidence available across a wide range of conditions. We hope this is welcomed by medical bodies and urge them to consider these expert recommendations.”
Vice Chair of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, Dr Dani Gordon said: “The MCCS gives doctors in the UK access to expert support from prescribing clinicians who share their experiences about prescribing this treatment. Independent and led by those who are skilled in cannabinoid medicine, the MCCS gives doctors information about cases where this treatment option has made a difference to patients’ lives, helping them to become confident prescribers of this life-changing medicine.”
Published to coincide with the first in a series of roadshows taking place with charity Drug Science in 12 cities across the UK during 2020, the updated guidelines will be made available on the Society’s website and at the roadshows in spring and summer 2020.
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