A pilot medical cannabis scheme in Denmark that was to finish up at the end of next year will likely be made a permanent program.
Denmark’s trial scheme focuses on providing medicines to patients with sclerosis, spinal cord injury, chronic pain or nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy in situations where the use of conventional drugs haven’t had sufficient effect.
During the trial that launched in 2018, the Danish Medicines Agency has carried out ongoing monitoring, but so far nothing new has cropped up in terms of negative patient safety consequences. The trial scheme was initially planned for a four-year period; but extended for another four years in 2021, with the potential for companies to cultivate medicinal cannabis in Denmark made permanent.
But on the patient side of things, the trial expires at the end of 2025.
However, Minister of the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde recently met with agreement parties behind the trial scheme (SF, Liberal Alliance, Enhedslisten, Dansk Folkeparti and Alternativet) with view to making it permanent.
“We can see that many patients who are prescribed medical cannabis by their doctor seem to benefit from the treatment,” said Minister Løhde (translated). ” If it’s up to the government, patients must continue to have a legal option to use medical cannabis, which is why we plan to make the scheme permanent.”
Products are made available under the pilot program by manufacturers who have successfully applied to have their medicines included. Medicines are available in a variety of forms; including oils, capsules, tablets, dried flower and oral spray.
Under the scheme, doctors are permitted to prescribe the products of their choice, and the guidelines don’t prevent doctors from prescribing medicinal cannabis to patients with conditions other than those mentioned above. Doctors in Denmark are under no obligation to prescribe, and the Danish Medicines Agency has issued a guideline for doctors who decide to.
Given Denmark’s population (around 5.9 million); participation has been relatively low – but is growing. According to the Minister, 1,800 patients have accessed it the last three years, representing around 20,000 prescriptions.
There are actually four ways patients can access medicinal cannabis in Denmark.
- The pilot programme
- As an approved medicine (there’s currently only one)
- Unauthorised medicine on compassionate use permit
- As “magistrally manufactured” medicines
The pilot programme also offers a reimbursement scheme where up to 100% of medicine costs can be recovered up to a certain value and depending on the condition.
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