Scots call for cannabis drug approval
CAMPAIGNERS have called for a cannabis-based medicine to be made available to patients in Scotland after it was approved for use on the NHS in Wales.
The All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) recommended use of the mouthspray treatment Sativex, which is used to help patients with movement problems caused by multiple sclerosis (MS).
This means Wales is the first country of the UK to approve the drug, which has been backed by charities working with patients.
The treatment is currently not recommended by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) as the company which make it, Bayer Healthcare, has never submitted Scotland.
But yesterday a Bayer spokeswoman said it was working towards making a submission to the SMC “in the near future”.
Sativex is used to treat spasticity linked to MS, which is very common among the 100,000
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in sufferers in the UK, affecting most at some point. MS is particularly prevalent north of the Border, affecting people including actress Alison Peebles.
It causes uncontrollable stiffness, muscle tension and spasms which are often extremely painful and immobilising.
Becky Duff, head of policy and communications at the MS Society, said: “Following the AWMSG’s positive decision we hope the company and the SMC will work together to make this medicine available in Scotland as soon as possible and that the relevant bodies in England and Northern Ireland make positive decisions too.
“This kind of inequality is why we launched our #treatmeright campaign – we’re fighting for access to the right treatment.”