Pubdate: Sun, 08 Dec 2013
Source: Jerusalem Post (Israel)
Copyright: 2013 The Jerusalem Post
Contact: http://info.jpost.com/C002/Services/Feedback/editors.html
Website: http://www.jpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/516
Author: Judy Siegel

GERMAN DETERMINED TO MAKE SUPPLY OF MEDICAL CANNABIS 'TRANSPARENT AND 
ORGANIZED'

Health Minister Yael German (Yesh Atid) is due to present a proposal 
to the government to create order in the production, supply and 
authorization of medical cannabis to patients with serious diseases, on Sunday.

Marijuana, grown for medical purposes in Israel and abroad, is 
provided by eight suppliers, and is known to relieve pain and other 
severe symptoms from certain diseases.

However, its efficacy has not yet been scientifically proven, and it 
carries with it several risks.

The law enforcement authorities are concerned about transfer of the 
legal medical cannabis to criminal elements and recreational users, 
whereas the Israel Medical Association is concerned about patients 
trying to take advantage of doctors for access to the drug.

The Health Ministry is adding manpower - nine additional physicians 
to the present 21 doctors who approve use - and funding to its 
Jerusalem-based unit for supervising the use of medical marijuana and 
trying to reduce red tape and abuse.

Instead of a maximum five-week wait to get a request considered by a 
psychiatrist at Abarbanel Mental Health Center in Bat Yam - as it was 
previously - the ministry says it aims to decide on the eligibility 
of terminally ill patients within 48 hours and within a week for 
cancer patients on chemotherapy.

In addition, the whole process of authorization, says the ministry, 
will become more transparent. Its website - www.health.gov.il - will 
supply information such as criteria for obtaining medical marijuana 
and other data for all to see.

Yuval Lanschaft won a public tender a few months ago to head the unit 
and is based at the ministry's headquarters in Jerusalem.

Lanschaft and his staff send SMS messages to applicants' cellphones, 
the ministry says, instead of forcing them to call Bat Yam for hours 
at a time waiting for a response.

Another reform to be proposed at the cabinet meeting next week is to 
sever the connection between the suppliers of marijuana to the patients.

Previously, would-be recipients had to be in direct contact with the 
suppliers - led by Tikun Olam, which provides 25 percent of the 
supply - this connection will be cut, and doses of cannabis will be 
obtained at pharmacies (probably private ones and not those owned by 
the health funds).

The Israel Police will supervise the transfer and supply of the drug 
in the pharmacies so as to prevent criminal use of the drug, the ministry says.

Social Affairs and Health Committee chairman MK Haim Katz (Likud) 
strongly criticized German, on Thursday, claiming that she "wants to 
destroy medical cannabis use and to hurt patients who need help."

He said that German's proposal is "scandalous and pushed through 
quickly to benefit one private company without issuing a public tender."

Katz also claimed that if it becomes law, the proposal would retain 
control of the process and be able to turn down desperate patients' 
requests despite recommendations of medical specialists that the drug 
be provided.

German's spokeswoman said that the minister "cares deeply about the 
welfare of patients and that the proposal will improve the situation, 
bringing about more efficiency and transparency. In addition she 
said, "not all patients want cannabis."

Some 2,000 of them have said that they prefer nabiximols 
(commercially known as Sativex), a patented cannabinoid oromucosal 
mouth spray developed by a UK company for multiple sclerosis 
patients  who can use it to alleviate neuropathic pain, spasticity, 
overactive bladder, and other symptoms.

This product reduces pain and other symptoms, much like marijuana, 
without providing users with a "high," German's spokeswoman said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom