New locally manufactured options for Kiwi patients

The Medicinal Cannabis Agency has announced that two new Medicinal Cannabis products have been verified as meeting the Agency’s Minimum Quality Standards. This brings the number of verified products in New Zealand to six and adds the first New Zealand manufactured cannabis medicines just as the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme comes into full effect.

The New Zealand Herald is reporting that the two new medicines from Helius Therapeutics, will be available on prescription from Thursday, October 7th, 2021 with attractive pricing compared to the imported alternatives.

Two new Kiwi-made cannabidiol medicines will be available on prescription from Thursday - 18 months after new regulations came into force, and almost three years after a law change triggering a new industry.

And they're expected to be cheaper than imported medicines on the market, with pricing comparable to the CBD products that have been harder to access since the end of a grace period last week.

Kiwi patients had been concerned about a lack of affordable options after a transition period allowing products produced to a lower standard to be imported into New Zealand ended on September 30th removing around 13 different products from the market. The New Zealand Medicinal Cannabis Council (NZMCC) had said recently that locally manufactured products weren’t expected until Christmas so the news came as a bit of a positive surprise for the industry.

"This is only the start of the journey, with Kiwi patients our priority," said Carmen Doran, chief executive of Helius Therapeutics, the company making the new CBD medicines.

"They've waited a really long time for this day."

NZMCC executive director Sally King said the new medicines will go some way to address patients' concerns about limited choices after the end of the grace period.

"It is the dawn of a new era for medicinal cannabis in New Zealand," King said.

"This should give prescribers and patients confidence that Ministry of Health-approved medicinal cannabis products made in New Zealand are reliable, high-quality medicine that can be trusted and supplied locally."

Patients interested in medicinal cannabis products and their options should discuss their situation with their doctor or pharmacist.