UK patient secures first NHS reimbursement for cannabis flowers

[Simple Jack]

UK patient secures first NHS reimbursement for cannabis flowers

After a patient from Zerenia Clinics UK was reimbursed by the NHS for his therapy with cannabis-based oral extracts in January 2023, a second patient from the clinic has succeeded in obtaining coverage from the NHS to finance his treatment with dried cannabis flowers.

 

This significant milestone represents another step towards mandatory insurance coverage for therapies with cannabis-based medicinal products in the UK, following the example of more advanced jurisdictions such as Colombia and Germany.

 

Since the legalisation of medical cannabis in November 2018, only five individuals have been granted NHS funding for the prescription of unlicensed cannabis-based medications.

 

The patient of Zerenia Clinics UK, who is the first to receive NHS reimbursement for treatment with dried cannabis flower, has chosen to remain anonymous to protect his privacy and that of his family.

In June 2021, he was diagnosed with stage-four bowel cancer and lung metastasis.

 

After realising that cannabis was helping him to tackle chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), he inquired about Nabilone, a THC analog approved for the treatment of CINV, but his oncologist and a group of consulted oncologists had no prior experience with it. One oncologist mentioned a former patient who had been prescribed medical cannabis on a private clinic, which led the patient to explore that option.

 

In early 2022, the patient received a private prescription for medical-grade, chemotype 1 (THC-predominant) cannabis flowers for inhalation. He found several varieties that effectively helped him manage CINV while also improving other aspects of his quality of life, such as anxiety, mood, loss of appetite and sleep, as observed by his psychologist.

 

Armed with this knowledge, the patient approached his general practitioner (GP) to apply for an individual funding request (IFR) to the NHS to cover the treatment cost. At this point, he had already tried most of the antiemetic medications offered by the NHS, with minimal to no benefit and often experiencing unpleasant side effects.

 

Unfortunately, the NHS funding panel initially declined the application and suggested trying Nabilone.

 

However, when the patient tried Nabilone with his next chemotherapy cycle at the end of 2022, it proved ineffective in alleviating his symptoms. Conversely, using cannabis flowers after returning home allowed his nausea to subside, enabling him to enjoy dinner with his family.

 

In January 2023, the patient switched to Zerenia Clinics UK, where he had his first appointment with the medical director, a cancer pain specialist. Moved by the patient’s determination to obtain NHS reimbursement for cannabis flowers, the medical team at Zerenia offered to assist him with a new funding request.

 

Collaborating closely with the patient, his medical team submitted the second request in March 2022. On 20 April, coinciding with the International Cannabis Awareness Day, the NHS panel convened and approved funding for his prescription of chemotype 1 cannabis flowers.

 

https://cannabishealthnews.co.uk/2023/06/15/zerenia-clinics-uk-patient-first-to-secure-nhs-reimbursement-for-cannabis-flowers/

 

A puff piece for Zerenia maybe, but significant nonetheless