Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to a legal prescription for pharmaceutical cannabis-based epilepsy treatments.

Licensed cannabis-based medicines are routinely available on the National Health Service. Epidyolex is used for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare forms of epilepsy, specifically Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis complex. However, clinical guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence demonstrate a clear need for more evidence on the safety and effectiveness of unlicensed cannabis-based medicines, to support routine prescribing and funding decision on the NHS.

NHS England and The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) have agreed funding for two trials relating to the use of cannabis-based medicines for the treatment of difficult-to-treat epilepsies. These will be world-first trials and will be crucial in informing future NHS funding decisions.

Manufacturers are responsible for generating evidence to support the use of these products and for seeking regulatory approval. The Government encourages manufacturers to do so, and offers scientific and research advice from the Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the NIHR.