Medical Cannabis (Access) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-12-10
Topic: Health
Natalie Cecilia Elphicke (Conservative, Centre-right): As I said earlier, that is the perpetual loop. This is not an approved medicine, so it cannot be funded despite being a legal medicine that can be prescribed. The prescription element is of particular concern to a number of Members. In view of the hesitancy and the expertise about which we have heard today, the pool of people who might be able to prescribe this medicine on the NHS is not a large one, and I think that that is largely what is driving the proposals in the Bill I want to say something about professionalism, a subject that has arisen more than once today. Private prescriptions from qualified GPs are being given by qualified specialists in this area. As with so many areas of medicine—and Members who are doctors will know this better than anyone—some doctors believe that one medicine will work for some patients and another will work for others, and different doctors take different views. It is important to note that these are professionally prescribed private prescriptions. The issue is that the prescriptions are not available where they are needed on the NHS I will move on to funding and why the drug might not be funded because of the status of the medicine and the licensing. I have heard the Minister for primary care refer to the licensing tests of quality, safety and efficacy, which all hon. Members would agree are important. The quality and effectiveness of medical cannabis in the few cases relating to epileptic children can be satisfied. It is obtained openly via private prescriptions through recognised channels. As I have said—and I emphasise this for Conservative Members in particular—that is lawful. It is medication lawfully prescribed by doctors. It is NHS prescribing that is the barrier On safety, there is always a risk in having any medicine, and there are consequences of not having it. A professional doctor and those involved in medical care will look at what happens when someone has a particular medicine and its potential risks, and what will happen if they do not. In this case, not having the medicine results in worse health outcomes, and a worse quality of life, for Teagan. If the Alexander technique, acupressure and ginger can be funded on the NHS, it should be considered whether the right bar is being set for Teagan’s medicine to be funded My hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble mentioned the speed with which the covid vaccination got regulatory approval—a pace and speed that we have not seen with medical cannabis. Some of the Acts that we pass in this place have effects that can be measured in centuries, such as the Environment Act 2021; we will move on to discuss climate change more generally later. Some of the decisions that we make in this place, however, have an impact on lives that can be measured in days, months and years. I suggest that this is one of those cases The Government have authorised the medicine to be available—that decision was taken. It is about completing the journey, so that there is the intended effect of ensuring that where clinically appropriate and in a child’s best interest, that child can be treated with the right medicine for them under the correct supervision and that that medicine can be funded on the NHS Teagan Appleby needs medical cannabis to improve her serious health condition. Without it, she suffers from fits. With it, she is so much better. That is why I support the prescription of medical cannabis on the NHS for little Teagan and the other children who clearly need it. I pay tribute Teagan’s mum, Emma, who has been a tireless and energetic campaigner on behalf of her daughter to get the medical treatment that she needs. I close by thanking again the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington for bringing forward the bill and the Minister for her attention to Teagan’s case and the matter.