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His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar is pleased to announced that, following the successful completion of the necessary training by GHA doctors, agreement has been reached with Cantourage UK, accredited suppliers of medicinal cannabis products, subject to final detail, which will allow the prescribing of such products to patients with certain conditions.
This agreement marks a historic milestone, to secure a steady supply of medical cannabis through the Gibraltar Health Association, the UK's equivalent of the NHS. This groundbreaking partnership paves the way for the collection of patient-reported outcomes and clinically substantiated data within a publicly funded healthcare framework. Gibraltar is poised to lead the charge in the medical cannabis industry, positioning itself at the forefront for gathering real-world evidence regarding the impact of medical cannabis on chronic conditions. This pioneering data will be instrumental in shaping healthcare strategies, making Gibraltar's Public Health Service the world's first to harness such invaluable insights.
Co-Founder of Cantourage UK, Joshua Cuby, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Government of Gibraltar and the GHA in developing and implementing a medical cannabis framework in Gibraltar. Using our first-hand experience treating thousands of patients in the UK and Germany, we are committed to providing eligible patients in Gibraltar with natural alternative treatments to help those with chronic conditions get a far better quality of life. In particular, we are eager to support patients where more traditional medication therapies have failed. We have a strong affinity to Gibraltar and look forward to applying our knowledge and experience to medical cannabis patients in Gibraltar. None of this would have been possible without the hard work and determination of my co-founders, as well as our doctors, nurses, medical director and international growers, not to mention the invaluable support of Dr Krish Rawal. They have all been instrumental in implementing this life changing initiative for patients in Gibraltar.”
Minister for Public Health, the Hon Prof John Cortes, said: “We have been working on making these medicinal products available to patients who will benefit from them for some time, and I am delighted that we have been able to ensure that this happens.”
Our lead specialists at Cantourage Clinic, who have been instrumental in providing training for this initiative provided their thoughts on the announcement.
Lead Psychiatrist at Cantourage Clinic, Dr Anup Mathew, stated:
“I am honored to be the Psychiatrist involved in the initial and on-going training of the Gibraltar medical team on the benefits of medical cannabis in treating mental health conditions. The Gibraltar Health Authority and Cantourage Clinic should be commended in pioneering this initiative which I feel is pivotal in moving the medical cannabis industry forward, as it will highlight the benefits to patients and society as a whole. The data planned to be gathered from this project within a British Overseas Territory will be unique and I feel will pave the way for medical reforms especially in the UK and Europe as a whole."
Lead Pain Specialist, Dr Gerard Sinovich, stated:
"In 2019, the Gibraltar Health Authority(GHA) found that powerful sedative and strong analgesia are being prescribed regularly to hundreds of patients in Gibraltar despite these drugs being highly addictive.
GHA Minister for Health stated "There does appear to be a higher rate of use than is ideal for a community such as ours.”
Not only does the effect of these drugs decrease and require higher doses for the same impact, but they create dependence. In older people, they can lead to confusion and falls.
When the drug is stopped, users can experience severe withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, tension, panic attacks, tremors, sweating, poor concentration, nausea, palpitations, headaches, muscle aches and sometimes even seizures and psychotic reactions. Some people are therefore reluctant to stop the drugs.
In 2023, the introduction of medicinal cannabis into the GHA health system provides a positive step in the right direction to address these problems.
The potential medicinal properties of medicinal cannabis and its components have been the subject of research and heated debate for decades. In adults with chronic pain, patients who were treated with cannabis or cannabinoids are more likely to experience a clinically significant reduction in pain symptoms.
GHA model for providing patients with access to medicinal cannabis on the healthcare system initially for selective patients with chronic pain will pave the pathway for other world healthcare systems to follow to improve people lifestyle and functionality.
This will ultimately lead to improved family life and the economy of the country."*
*Article from Gibraltar chronicle Friday 27th October 2023.
Cantourage Clinic is a CQC registered clinic, combining a team of qualified specialist physicians, nurses and educators with cannabis industry professionals; joining forces with the sole focus of providing care and excellence for patients wishing to explore cannabinoid therapies.
For more information on how Cantourage clinic could help, click here for more information.
Cantourage Clinic offer specialist consultations for the following conditions.
- Pain
- Psychiatry
- Neurology
- Oncology
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