Mauritius Starts a Trial on Therapeutic Cannabis

The government in Mauritius has given its stamp of approval for a new medical cannabis trial to go ahead on the island. The news comes four months after a Technical Committee delivered a report on medical cannabis. The island nation will import FDA-approved cannabis for the trial and will only make it available to trained doctors to prescribe to patients suffering a limited range of conditions.

The use of Medical cannabis in Mauritius has been considered for several years. However, it is only recently that any action has been taken. Now, four months after taking note of a Technical Committee report on medical cannabis, the Mauritian government has given the green light for a therapeutic cannabis trial to go ahead.

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The Technical Committee Recommendations for Mauritius

Part of the original technical committee ruling were guidelines on the types of diseases to treat with medical cannabis, who in Mauritius can prescribe the drug, what operating protocols apply, how to obtain a license, how to ensure the training of pharmacists, and which agencies will ensure the sale of the drug.

The committee also recommended establishing a system for registering patients or cardholders in Mauritius. Another essential recommendation the committee made was that only government-licensed or trained specialists may prescribe cannabis-based medicines.

Mauritius Medical Cannabis Trial Implementation Details

When the government of Mauritius gave the green light for the use of medical cannabis, it was specified that this treatment will only be offered to patients in a limited number of circumstances. Specifically, medical cannabis will be available for patients suffering from cancer and who require chemotherapy, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis, among others.

As part of the trial, doctors in Mauritius will first undergo training with an American foundation, the Society of Cannabis Clinicians (SCC).

Additionally, Each regional hospital on the island of Mauritius will have to integrate a therapeutic committee to validate each prescription for cannabis. Cannabis-based medicines will be distributed, free of charge, to patients presenting to public hospitals.

Mauritius to Import FDA-approved Cannabis for Trial

The island does not currently plan to grow cannabis on national soil. Therefore, the drugs will be imported and validated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American drug agency. We guess between the lines that it will therefore be Sativex or Epidiolex.

The law governing the possession of cannabis in Mauritius will have to be amended so that drugs whose content does not exceed 30 milligrams of cannabidiol per milliliter and 30 milligrams of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol per milliliter can be used, by inhalation, vaporization or ointment.

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(Featured image by Xavier Coiffic via Unsplash)

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