Medical cannabis: what is the situation in our country? Starting since 2006according to what is read on the website of the Ministry of Health, doctors “can prescribe masterful preparationsfrom set up by the pharmacist in the pharmacyusing a plant substance based on cannabisderived from the inflorescences of cultivated cannabis’, which can be taken in the form of decoction, inhalation or vaporization. In addition to these masterful preparations, i.e. made directly by the pharmacist, since 2013 it is possible in Italy the prescription of SativexRa medicine for reduce painful spasms in multiple sclerosisbased on cannabis extracts: its active ingredient is a herbal preparation consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
In which cases can medical cannabis be prescribed?
To date in Italy cannabis can be prescribed how therapeutic form to manage pathologies with spasticity associated with pain, such as the multiple sclerosisthe glaucoma resistant to conventional therapies and the Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, which causes involuntary movements of the body. But not only that, because the therapeutic use of cannabis also plays an important role for relieve chronic pain and how antidote to counteract side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, following Of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and HIV therapies.
“The prescriptions – specifies the Ministry of Health – are carried out when conventional or standard therapies are ineffective”.
Medical cannabis: the difficulty of supply
However if the first difficulty of those suffering from these pathologies is that of obtain a prescription and a suitable treatment planthe secondary and no less important problem seems to be today the availability of cannabis products in pharmacies.
There supply difficulties from the cannabis therapeutic for chronic pain it is indeed a problem that seems to interest about 40-50 thousand patients in Italy. According to a recent online survey, carried out by the Medical Cannabis Patients Committee, it appears that well 87.5% of the interviewees experienced difficulties to find medical cannabis prescribed by the doctor.
The reason?
Faced with an ever increasing demand, in Italy, procurement is still linked to an artisanal dimension. In our country there are 6 distributors and only about twenty pharmacies that are actively dedicated to the preparation of the extract from the inflorescences: this means that there is no one-size-fits-all product for all patients but that in most cases one has to rely on the pharmacist, where one can find him, and on his skill.
«Us today we are using cannabis galenically. I can say that we are a moment before the pioneers, we are far behind Western medicine. We will make the real leap when we pass from the artisan form of extracts made in the pharmacy, to extracts made at industrial and pharmaceutical level“. To declare it was the doctor Marco BertolottoDirector of the pain therapy center ASL 2 Liguria e Clinical Director of Clinn Health & Innovationa specialized center for medical cannabis treatment.
The production of medical cannabis in Italy
The difficulty of supplying medical cannabis is also linked to one insufficient production in our country. In 2016 Italy launched a national production of cannabis for medical use at the Military chemical pharmaceutical plant of Florence (SCFM) with the aim of ensuring access to these therapies at appropriate costs and in a safe way. Currently there are two Cannabis-based substances of plant origin for the preparation of masterful preparations, produced in the Military Pharmaceutical Chemical Plant of Florence: from December 2016 the batches of the substance called Cannabis FM2 and, from July 2018, the product Cannabis FM1with different THC and CBD content.
However, the production of these substances seems to date failing in fact to cover the national request without resorting to import.
«It is estimated that the needs in 2021 of medical cannabis for both medical use 1,400 kg – underlined last October the Undersecretary of Health Andrea Costa – but the Military Pharmaceutical Institute of Florence is able to produce it, yes and no. 300 kg“.
To solve the problem the Ministry of Health would therefore be launchingagain according to what was declared by Undersecretary Costa, «dei tenders that give the possibility of cultivating medical cannabis also to private and public companiesto be able to achieve the goal of being self-sufficient in production ».
Towards industrial products
A breakthrough is also represented from the introduction of standard products, which can be used for the preparation of masterful preparations in pharmacies. In this regard, on October 18, 2021, the Ministry of Health, Central Narcotics Office, and AIFA have authorized an Apulian pharmaceutical company, the Farmalaborimport, distribution and packaging of the active principle amazing named Cannabis extract 15% THC.
Source: Vanity Fair

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