Epileptic boy has only two weeks of cannabis oil medication left
THE Home Office has only until the end of the month to decide whether cannabis oil can be imported to treat 12-year-old Billy Caldwell’s epilepsy after his mother realised that her supply may last only two months instead of six.
Currently, doctors have been given a 20-day licence to administer one of the seven bottles of the drug Charlotte Caldwell brought to the UK from Canada. During those 20 days, the family expected the Government to make a decision on whether the rest of Ms Caldwell’s supply – which is currently held by the Home Office – could be released to treat Billy.
A decision on whether more bottles could be imported was expected by the family to be made within five months – the amount of time they believed was needed to ensure Billy did not run out of his medication. However, Ms Caldwell has now been informed privately by doctors that the seven bottles will have to be administered at a faster rate than previously expected, as the dosage needs to be increased over time, meaning the Government will now have to fast-track the authorisation for import in the next 16 days.
The Government is expected to make a statement to the House of Commons this week on the licensing of medical cannabis.
“This only adds pressure to the Home Office to make a decision on Billy’s medicine,” Ms Caldwell told The
Daily Telegraph last night.
“The clock is ticking and the world is watching. Let’s hope they make the right decision.”
A week ago the seven bottles of cannabis oil which Ms Caldwell had purchased in Canada were confiscated at Heathrow Airport.
On Saturday, after negotiations that lasted until 2am, Billy was permitted to have one bottle of the oil under a special licence, leaving the Home Office in possession of the other six bottles. In order to get more cannabis oil into Britain, the Home Office must first grant a licence for import. After the licence is granted, the supplier in Canada can request an export licence from the Canadian government, a process which takes 30 days, before it is flown to the UK.
Billy’s seizures worsened last week after the oil was confiscated, and he was admitted to hospital on Friday.
Billy is currently being treated with the first bottle of the oil at Chelsea and Westminster hospital.
A Home Office spokesman said: “As the Home Secretary said yesterday, this is a very complex situation and our immediate priority has been to make sure Billy receives the most effective treatment in a safe way.
“The decision to use an exceptional power to issue a Schedule 1 licence was based on the advice of senior clinicians who made clear it was a medical emergency.”