The recommendation is that Cannabidiol, Tetrahydrocannabinol and any products derived from them should only be those approved by the US Food and Drugs Administration. Importation will fall under the Ministry of Health and any user will have to go through an eligibility assessment by a committee of specialists. That’s it!
Ultra-controlled
The use of medicinal or therapeutic Cannabis will not be freely available to anyone. This committee imposes strict rules and allows only hospitals, under the Pharmacy Act, to distribute these drugs, so it is clear that these products cannot be imported by a third party. It places specialists in hospitals, cancer centres and psychiatric centres in an unquestionable position of authority and with the power to prescribe these CBD and THC drugs.
Eligible patients
Those treatments can be taken orally, inhaled, vaporised and administered locally. They will concern patients suffering from: certain forms of drug-resistant epilepsy, certain rebellious symptoms in oncology, refractory neuropathic pain, palliative situations, painful spasticity in multiple scleroses, painful spasticity in other pathologies of the central nervous system, psoriasis, lupus, in the treatment of alcoholism, chemotherapy, depression and Parkinson’s disease, among others
The patient will be entered in a register for better follow-up. There will also be a provision for specialist advice which will democratise consultation and prescription in the private sector and also to patients travelling or foreigners visiting Mauritius on these drugs. However, the follow-up will be done by the authorities at the top.
Call for public consultation
The panel of specialists that make up the Steering Committee has already published the report on the website of the Ministry of Health. They invite the public to discover it and also to send their comments until 15 February. The comments, recommendations and analyses of the public will be taken into account for any necessary corrections in the report.
