Is your family doctor prescribing medicinal cannabis for you?

According to recently released data from the UK healthcare system, Devon’s GPs have written hundreds of prescriptions for medicinal cannabis over the past five years. This information has come to light amid increasing calls from charities for increased access to medicinal cannabis for people with autoimmune and neurological disorders.

Conditions like multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and chronic pain can all be effectively treated with drugs made from cannabis plants or synthetic cannabinoids. Despite their potential benefits, these therapies can be expensive, and there are conflicting views among physicians about their effectiveness.

However, the surge in medical marijuana prescriptions in Devon indicates that the drug is being accepted as a valid treatment option. It is hoped that as more research is done and awareness of the potential benefits of medicinal cannabis increases, access to these treatments for those in need will increase.

Although the cost of these treatments can be high, different medical professionals have different views on their effectiveness.

Increased Prescribing Rate

Dronabinol and cannabidiol are combined in the most commonly prescribed cannabis drug, Sativex, which is particularly effective in treating multiple sclerosis. The number of prescriptions for the drug has increased significantly. According to the NHS OpenPrescribing service, 183 prescriptions were written by GPs in 2022, up from just 72 the year before.

This increased prescription rate equates to a staggering 52,650 doses of the drug administered, more than double the doses prescribed last year. This increase in use demonstrates the growing acceptance of medical marijuana as a valid treatment option, particularly for diseases like MS where conventional therapies have failed.

Recent data shows that GPs have issued 303 prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines in the former CCG region of NHS Devon over the last five years. These drugs primarily treat certain forms of multiple sclerosis and contain the active ingredients of the cannabis plant, cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol.

Although cannabidiol (CBD) is widely available on the high streets of the UK, these drugs are only occasionally prescribed. However, patients are advised to exercise caution when choosing a CBD product as the quality and potency of these products can vary significantly.

Substances containing THC, on the other hand, are still illegal in the UK except when used for a limited number of conditions. Despite legal restrictions, the rise in the number of cannabis-based prescriptions suggests that healthcare providers are beginning to understand the potential benefits of these treatments.

It is important to note that the reported numbers do not reflect the total number of patients, but rather the number of prescriptions written by physicians. As a result, a single patient may have received a drug prescription more than once a year.

Hospitals can also dispense prescription drugs directly to patients. Research conducted by the MS Society charity shows that over half of all Sativex prescriptions are from secondary care settings. This suggests that hospitals are critical in facilitating access to cannabis-based medicines, particularly for patients with complex medical needs.

Recent data from across England shows that GPs wrote 2,953 prescriptions for Sativex and other similar medicines in 2022. This is a significant increase of 56% from last year when only 1,893 medications were prescribed.

More Nationwide campaign

The MS Society has played a crucial role in the campaign to increase the availability of Sativex to those who might use it. Even as more drugs become available, some healthcare organizations still need to be more willing to pay for them and restrict access for those who need it.

Sativex, which reduces symptoms like stiffness and muscle spasms that can significantly affect a person’s quality of life, can have a life-changing effect on people with the condition, according to the MS Society. The continued resistance to funding for the drug underscores the ongoing challenges in promoting cannabis-based treatments in universal healthcare.

Meanwhile, as of 2022, there were only 23 general practitioner prescriptions for cannabidiol (CBD)-based drugs nationwide. These treatments are mainly used for treatment-resistant epilepsy; none have been prescribed in the Devon area. The NHS has been reluctant to prescribe these drugs, citing a lack of evidence of their effectiveness and their high price.

Nonetheless, increased access to medicinal cannabis has received strong support from the non-profit organization Epilepsy Action, particularly for people whose seizures are resistant to other treatments. The availability of medical cannabis in these circumstances can make a “massive difference” in reducing seizures and significantly improving the quality of life for people with epilepsy, according to Daniel Jennings, senior policy and campaigns officer at the charity.

However, despite increasing evidence in favor of medicinal cannabis to treat epilepsy, access to these treatments through the NHS is still restricted. Because of this lack of access, almost 90,000 private prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines were issued between 2018 and 2022. The high prices of private medicines can place a significant financial burden on patients who need these treatments, making them unavailable to many.

Nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid drug, is available and is primarily used to relieve the side effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea and vomiting. Recent statistics show that GPs in England prescribed this drug 371 times last year. Although this drug is effective in treating the side effects of chemotherapy, it is still only used occasionally.

Only 48 nabilone prescriptions have been issued in the former NHS Devon CCG region since 2018, with none being issued in the past year. This low usage rate could be attributed to factors such as ignorance or lack of access to the drug and differing views among medical experts on the effectiveness of cannabinoid-based treatments.

Diploma

There is no denying that medicinal cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids have the potential to improve the quality of life for many patients, although their use to treat various medical conditions is still debated and further studied. Patients and stakeholders continue to fight for greater access to these treatments, despite obstacles such as limited availability, high costs and differing views among healthcare professionals.

It is hoped that as more research is done and more, the medical community and regulators will continue to investigate the potential benefits of medicinal cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids and work to make these treatments more widely available to those who could benefit from them success stories appear. While the road ahead may be difficult and long, the potential rewards are too great to ignore.

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