David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1120. To ask the Minister for Health his views on adding products of a company (details supplied) to the medical cannabis access programme; if there are plans for expanding the products to be available through the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32295/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Cannabis products that can be used in the Medical Cannabis Access Programme above are considered by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) to meet the criteria in parts (a) – (f) of the definition of a ‘specified controlled drug’ set out in the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and control of supply of cannabis for medical use) Regulations 2019 and, accordingly, can be considered for inclusion in Schedule 1 to those Regulations.

Only products included in the schedule of specified controlled drugs can be prescribed by medical consultants under the Medical Cannabis Access Programme.

The criteria cannabis products must meet in order to be considered by the Minister for inclusion on the schedule are set out in the legislation and can be found in the operator guidance issued by the HPRA.

The manufacturers of the Bedrocan products have not sought to have their products included in the programme. Due to current Netherlands government policy, Bedrocan products, sold as cannabis oil formulations, are not currently permitted to be commercially exported from the Netherlands, but are only supplied in the Netherlands on foot of a valid medical prescription when presented to the appropriate pharmacy.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1121. To ask the Minister for Health if the delivery of products licensed under the ministerial licence for cannabis-based treatments that happened during the pandemic will be continued; if his attention has been drawn to the comfort this has given families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32296/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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On the 6^thApril, the previous Minister for Health announced an initiative to assist patients access to their medical cannabis products during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The Department of Health has so far organised a number of collections from the Netherlands for patients of clinicians in possession of a ministerial licence under the Misuse of Drugs Act owing to the COVID-19 travel restrictions and quarantine requirements and the initiative will continue while these are in place.