Last week, statistics published from States-run surveys have revealed the extent of diversion of medicinal cannabis in the island.
It said that nearly 80% of people who admitted using cannabis over the past year were doing so without a prescription, and two-thirds of them said they were using medicinal grade cannabis from someone else’s prescription.
Public Health is so concerned it is planning to strengthen its regulation of prescribing clinics.
Medicann CEO Gary Whipp said the company took this issue very seriously.
‘Any diversion or misuse of prescribed medicines undermines patient safety and public confidence,’ he said.
‘Within our model, prescribing is carried out through a robust, clinically-led process involving a multidisciplinary team, ensuring that only appropriate patients are initiated on treatment.
‘Comprehensive patient assessments, clear treatment goals, and ongoing monitoring reduce the likelihood of inappropriate access or onward sharing.’
He said that while diversion was a risk across all controlled medicines, a structured multidisciplinary team helped to mitigate it while maintaining close clinical oversight through the patient’s journey.
At Medicann, Mr Whipp said that suspected misuse of diversion of medicinal cannabis was monitored, looking for any contra-indications, and patient use is monitored through regular follow-ups, prescription reviews and ongoing clinical assessments.
Concerns about inappropriate use or potential diversion were escalated internally and in line with legal requirements for a controlled, accountable process to maintain patient safety and compliance.
‘At Medicann, we use a tightly controlled prescribing and dispensing pathway, prescriptions are linked to verified patient records, with identity checks at every stage,’ said Mr Whipp.
‘Pharmacy partners are required to follow strict verification procedures prior to dispensing, including confirming patient identity and prescription validity.
‘At follow-up consultations, patients are monitored looking for adherence, efficacy, and any red flags that could indicate diversion or misuse.’
A Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, produced by Public Health and the Health Improvement Commission, has identified the need for a formal process to raise concerns about diversion of prescriptions, enforcement around illicit use of prescription cannabis, and its diversion to those to whom it is not prescribed.
The report also highlighted the need for an early-warning drug system to identify emerging trends and enable services to be alerted of any concerns.
‘Medicann would welcome greater standardisation across the sector, particularly around prescribing frameworks, reporting requirements, and data sharing between clinicians, pharmacies, and regulators,’ said Mr Whipp.