Pubdate: Tue, 18 Dec 2012
Source: Daily Press, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2012 Anna Reid and Heidi M. Oetter
Contact: http://www.timminspress.com/letters
Website: http://www.timminspress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1001
Authors: Anna Reid and Heidi M. Oetter

CMA, FEDERATION CONCERNED ABOUT MARIJUANA REFORMS

TIMMINS - The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the Federation of
Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada are deeply concerned about
the advancement of a regulatory proposal to reform the Medical
Marijuana Access Program.

These reforms may place an unacceptable degree of responsibility on
physicians, given the relative lack of evidence regarding the health
benefits of medical marijuana.

If Health Canada no longer screens applications for use of medical
marijuana, this essentially makes the physician the sole
decision-maker.

Physicians should not be expected to prescribe medical marijuana
unless it meets the regulatory requirement for prescription medication
established under the federal Food and Drugs Act.

We strongly believe that the same safety and evidence standards
applied to pharmaceutical health products should be applied to medical
marijuana.

However, information is lacking in a number of areas, including
correct dosage, efficacy, possible side effects and interaction with
other medications or pre-existing conditions, information that
physicians require to make evidence-based clinical decisions.

We recommend that the Government of Canada focus its efforts on
addressing the lack of research in these areas.

We want to stress the need for a rational and evidence-based approach
with regard to the medical marijuana program.

It would be neither prudent nor responsible toward Canadians to
propose regulatory changes in disregard of the need for more robust
regulatory standards for this program.

Anna Reid, MD, CCFP-EM, president,

Canadian Medical Association

Heidi M. Oetter, MD, president,

Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D