The National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products may ” grant a marketing authorization for pharmaceutical specialties based on cannabis or its derivatives and authorize the operations of manufacture, transport, import, export, possession, offer, transfer, acquisition or employment relating to these specialties “.
The pharmaceutical benefit of cannabis
Cannabis or more precisely phyto-cannabinoids, chemicals contained in the plant, intended for medical use can be in the form of dragees, such as dronabinol, synthetic THC authorized for example in Germany to fight against vomiting and nausea in patients undergoing chemotherapy. In patients with multiple sclerosis, cannabis also appears to be effective in relieving severe pain. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration approved dronabinol in 1986 for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, then in 1992 for the treatment of anorexia and weight loss in patients with the drug. HIV.
Sativex and Marinol are already on sale in Europe
In February, the Ministry of Health wanted the ANSM to study the case of a cannabis-based drug, Sativex (Bayer), already on sale in many European countries (including Germany and the United Kingdom). This oral spray relieves pain in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Thanks to this decree, Sativex and Marinol, prescribed to AIDS patients who have lost their appetite (which has a temporary authorization for use (ATU) in France), can therefore soon be put on sale.
