Professor Shane Allwright has been announced as Chair of the Review of Access to Cannabis for Medical Use, by the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD.

The Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) has been in operation since 2021 for Schedule 2 Cannabis products, alongside access to Schedule 1 cannabis products granted under Ministerial Licence. This programme enables medical consultants to prescribe a cannabis-based treatment for a patient under their care where those patients have not responded to standard treatments.

The purpose of the Review Group, established by the Minister for Health is to:

• Review the current operation of the MCAP and the availability of Schedule 2 Cannabis products;
• Examine the appropriateness to expand the range of conditions covered by the programme, where sufficient evidence exists that cannabis may prove beneficial;
• Review the current access to Schedule 1 Cannabis products and the current operation of the ministerial licence;
• Develop a national policy on access to, and the administration of cannabis products that are subject to ministerial licence; and
• Examine current access to these medical cannabis products, and to provide considered advice and recommendations to inform future policy and decision-making.

It is envisioned that the Review Group will complete its work within 12 months of its first meeting.