David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

863. To ask the Minister for Health the prerequisites for adding products to the Medical Cannabis Access Programme; if products can only be added to the Programme if previously prescribed in another EU member state; if so, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21177/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Products submitted to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) for assessment under the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and Control of Supply of Cannabis for Medical Use) Regulations 2019 must meet the definition of "specified controlled drug" as defined in the regulations for inclusion in the Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP), one of the conditions being that the product is permitted to be sold or supplied for medical purposes by the relevant public or state body of a Member State other than the State. This was a policy decision to enable access to products already available in member states.