The authorization of cannabis-based treatments in France, which has been shrouded in uncertainty for over a year, has just taken a major step forward with the government's announcement on Wednesday of a crucial administrative formality.
"The texts defining the framework for the production and authorization of cannabis for medical use have been notified to the European Commission," the Ministry of Health reported in a press release.
The ministry also clarified the situation of patients treated as part of the ongoing experiment, which will be extended "until March 31, 2026," and this "on an exceptional basis." This postponement theoretically allows for a general rollout.
"This is a new step in the development of regulated and secure access to medical cannabis in France," he stressed.
The trial for patients undergoing treatment was initially scheduled to end by the end of 2024. They had already been given an extension until the summer of 2025.
Ludovic Rachou, president of the Union of Manufacturers for the Valorization of Hemp Extracts (Uivec), welcomed "a relief for patients who no longer have to plan for withdrawal" and "a reason for hope for future patients."
"We warmly thank the minister for his support and remain committed to ensuring that a pharmaceutical sector sees the light of day, with all the stakeholders involved from the start," he added in a press release.
The medical use of cannabis for pain and anxiety has been the subject of experimentation in France for several years, while many countries already allow these treatments to be offered.
Judging that this experiment had borne fruit, parliamentarians voted in late 2023 on measures that would allow the commercialization of cannabis-based treatments. Initially, these treatments would be subject to a transitional status for five years.
But these provisions never came into force because they require the Ministry of Health to officially notify the European Commission.
However, this had not yet been done. Some experts involved in the experiment explained this blockage by the governmental instability observed during the period, or by a lack of political will.
The ministry's announcement on Wednesday therefore unlocks the situation. Depending on discussions with the EU, experts estimate that it will take at least six months after this notification to consider the actual arrival of treatments.
Furthermore, as the ministry recalled on Wednesday, the possible reimbursement of these treatments will depend on an assessment by the High Authority for Health (HAS).
However, there is no consensus on the benefits of medical cannabis. The main reference study, published in 2021 in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and based on numerous other studies, concluded that medical cannabis provides "limited" or "very limited" improvements to patients' conditions.
English 
French