On November 12, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a resolution expanding the ability to obtain cannabis-based medicines. Patients will be able to buy such medications not only in the pharmacy where they were made, but also in other pharmacies of the same licensee.
This was reported on the Government portal.
Previously, the rules stipulated that drugs made from cannabis plant substance in a pharmacy setting could only be obtained at the place of manufacture. This meant patients had to go to a specific pharmacy, even if another pharmacy of the same chain was much closer.
After the resolution takes effect, such medicines will be allowed to be dispensed also in other pharmacies and pharmacy outlets of the same business entity. At the same time, established requirements for transportation, storage and accounting of medicines must be observed.
The innovation does not mean that cannabis-based medicines will be available for sale freely. The manufacture and dispensing of such drugs remain under state control, and relevant pharmacies must have the necessary licenses.
According to the explanations of the Ministry of Health, patients can receive cannabis-based medicines only for medical indications and by an electronic prescription from a doctor. Such a prescription is valid for 10 days from the date of issue.
Such medicines are prescribed, in particular, for the treatment of certain types of chronic and neuropathic pain, as well as other diseases and conditions defined by the Ministry of Health. This primarily concerns cases where other drugs do not provide the necessary result or cause serious side effects.
A separate part of the adopted changes concerns facilities that provide opioid substitution therapy for people with opioid dependence. The requirements for the prescription, storage and dispensing of controlled medicines according to a special procedure of the Ministry of Health have been clarified for them.
The goal of these changes is to strengthen control over the use of narcotic medicines within treatment programs and prevent violations during their prescription.
The resolution will come into force two months after its official publication. Until then, the procedure for dispensing cannabis-based medicines remains unchanged.
