Pubdate: Sat, 1 Aug 1998 Source: British Medical Journal (UK) Section: BMJ 1998;317:302 ( 1 August ) Contact: Author: John Warden, parliamentary correspondent, BMJ SOME ENCOURAGEMENT GIVEN FOR RESEARCH INTO CANNABIS The Home Office indicated last week that it is willing to set up "workshop talks" to discuss licensing procedures for research into the medical use of cannabis, and the Medical Research Council said that it would consider special treatment for clinical trials. The offers were made when both bodies gave evidence to the House of Lords subcommittee that is inquiring into possible changes in the law relating to cannabis and its derivatives for medical and recreational purposes. Home Office officials said that they are making arrangements with the Department of Health and the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) for a conference to discuss aspects of research licensing with representatives of the research community. The aim would be to highlight some of the complex issues involved such as the supply of standardised cannabis and the adoption of sound methodologies. If and when the benefits of a cannabis based medicine had been scientifically proved and a marketing authorisation issued by the MCA, the Home Office said that it would be willing to come forward with a change in the law to allow the prescribing of such a medicine. Professor George Radda, the chief executive of the MRC, told the committee that the council did not get many valid applications for research into the therapeutic use of cannabis, although it would be prepared to give them special consideration. It was looking into the possibility of carrying out some preliminary trials at Exeter university. In addition, the committee set up by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society under Sir William Asscher (2 May, p 1335) had agreed to focus on the reduction of pain and spasticity as the end point of possible clinical trials and committee members were debating which products to investigate. They were in process of discussing good protocols. In a written submission, the MRC said that in the absence of data, the scientific evidence in favour of permitting the medical use of cannabis or cannabinoids must be considered slight at the moment. Lord Walton of Detchant observed that the subcommittee had not had any convincing evidence that cannabis had any effect on the course of a disease. - --- Checked-by: Melodi Cornett