EMA call for cannabis research is ‘huge step’ in recognition of medicinal benefits
Cannabis Health News

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is looking for scientific research to help it establish guidance on the medicinal use of cannabis flower. The EMA’s Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) is inviting industry, healthcare professionals, patients and government institutions from EU member states, to submit scientific data on the medicinal use of cannabis flower. The EMA is responsible for regulating and monitoring pharmaceutical medicines in the EU and European Economic Area (EEA). In a request for submissions, published on 25 January, the regulator said the research would be used to help the HMPC ‘evaluate the medicinal use’ of the plant and create herbal monographs for use by members of the EU. It states: “The HMPC invites all interested parties such as pharmaceutical industry associations, health care professional groups, learned societies, consumers and patients’ associations, governmental institutions as well as EU and EEA-EFTA Member States to submit selected specific scientific data, which may be used in the assessment of Cannabis sativa L., flos as part of the establishment of European Union herbal monographs and/or European Union list entries.” EU monographs provide information required for the use of a medicinal product containing a specific herbal substance or preparation, including what the product is used for and safety information such as side-effects and interactions with other medicines. The committee is only looking for papers related to whole-plant cannabis and ‘herbal preparations’, not including isolates or any other cannabis-derived products. An important step forward for patients The call for research has been described as a ‘huge step’ by patient advocates, and a sign that regulators are finally recognising the medicinal value of cannabis flower.  Carola Pérez, president of non-profit organisation The Spanish Observatory for Medical Cannabis [Observatorio Español del Cannabis Medicinal] (OECM) and chair of the International Association of Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM) Patient Council…

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