Israeli Health Ministry Unveils Vital Medical Cannabis Reforms to Enhance Patient Access

The Israeli Health Ministry announced the eagerly awaited medical cannabis reforms in a statement published on the 7th of August 2023 by the ministry’s Economics, Regulation, and Innovation Directorate. The new reforms are most certainly going to result in an uptick in the consumption of medical cannabis by patients, as treatment will be easier to […]
Pharmaceutical forms and mode of intake (part 3 of 4)

ABSTRACT Pharmacists play a crucial role in preparing medical cannabis in accordance with established regulations and guidelines. By following the Norms of Good Preparation (NBP), pharmacists create magistral preparations of cannabis, ensuring the distribution of the active substance in the appropriate dose and medication form, as prescribed by doctors. The administration of medical cannabis involves […]
Legislative Panorama: Focus On Netherlands

Abstract Access to medical cannabis in the Netherlands has been limited, despite its availability as a prescription drug since 2003. The National Health Institute’s reluctance to officially recognize medical cannabis as a treatment has resulted in increased costs through official channels. Consequently, there has been a significant decline in medical cannabis prescriptions, and the number […]
Production according to GACP and GMP (part 2 of 4)

ABSTRACT Standardized compositions are vital for medicines, especially in the case of phytopharmaceuticals like cannabis. Precise control of cultivation conditions is crucial as the composition of cannabis, including cannabinoids and terpenes, determines its medicinal properties. Even slight changes can significantly impact therapeutic potential hence, rigorous quality control is essential to ensure reliability. These meticulous measures […]
Cannabis-derived products for chronic pain treatment for cats and dogs

The actual use of Cannabis in pain treatment for dogs and cats and future prospective The use of cannabinoids in veterinary medicine is controversial for ethical and legal reasons. The approval of drugs from the competent authorities, and their use, are complicated by the application of laws and professional regulations of each country. Hemp-derived compounds […]
Chemotypes of cannabis (part 1 of 4)

ABSTRACT Cannabis sativa is a dioecious plant that is widely distributed in areas with a temperate climate. The plant has three main varieties, each with its own chemical and morphological characteristics: hemp (Cannabis sativa), Indian hemp (Cannabis indica), and Russian or American hemp (Cannabis ruderalis). The chemical compounds produced by cannabis, known as secondary metabolites, […]
Italian Phytovigilance adverse reactions database’s evaluation

Cannabis as therapeutic option for multiple clinical condition, is generally well tolerated? Medical Cannabis consumption is significantly increasing worldwide, but most people still wonder if its use can be considered actually safe. To answer this question, we have analyzed the data related to safety issues reported in Italy, in the Phytovigilance database, due to the […]
Legislative Panorama: Focus On Portugal

Since 2018, medical cannabis has been legal in Portugal, but only one pharmaceutical company, Tilray, has been approved by Infarmed, the regulatory agency responsible for approving medical cannabis products in the country. Medical cannabis use in Portugal is limited to cases where conventional treatments are ineffective or cause adverse effects, and the therapeutic indication has […]
Genetic screening, personalized therapy and the importance of biomarkers in medical cannabis treatment

Despite the use of cannabis in medicine stretching back hundreds of years, the modern integration and application of medical cannabis into the global health system have been off to a rocky start. While efforts to legalize medical cannabis are underway in most parts of the world, the misconceptions about how medical cannabis works have made […]
Legislative Panorama: Focus On Switzerland

Switzerland’s CBD and medical cannabis industry is currently valued at an estimated EUR 75 million, a figure expected to more than double as regulated medical and adult-use cannabis consumption picks up. Since August 2022, Swiss physicians can prescribe medical cannabis to patients without limitations. Switzerland’s move toward making adult-use and medical-use cannabis accessible is likely […]