HSE to make medical cannabis available to patients in October

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Cate McCurry

September 30 2021 02:30 AM

The first medicinal cannabis product provided through the HSE will be available to patients from next month, it has been confirmed.

The HSE said that CannEpil, a cannabidiol-based medication, is to be made available during October as part of its Medical Cannabis Access Programme.

It comes after the Department of Health made the taking of cannabis through a medicine part of its health service earlier this year.

It is available to a limited number of patients and can be accessed with the correct prescription from a consultant.

Shaun Flanagan, the HSE’s assistant national director of primary care reimbursement services, said it expects one product, CannEpil, will become available in October.

“The suppliers of the second product, Tilray oral solutions, have indicated their intention to supply to the Irish market but to date have not confirmed when the product will be available,” Mr Flanagan told the Oireachtas health committee.

In Ireland, cannabis is a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Acts.

In January, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly secured funding for the programme and outlined how patients would access medicinal cannabis through the HSE.

Lorraine Nolan, chief executive of Health Products Regulatory Authority, said the authority is satisfied the system is in line with recommendations it made in 2017.