The government has established a timetable for the widespread use of cannabis for medical purposes in France starting in 2027, according to information reported by France Inter on Friday. After several years of hesitation, health authorities have begun drafting the necessary regulations to govern the production, authorization, and reimbursement of these treatments.
Within a month, all stakeholders—manufacturers, patient associations, and pharmacists—will have to submit comments on a draft decree. This text must be presented to the Council of State before the end of June, in order to define the criteria on which the French National Authority for Health (HAS) will have to rule in the fall regarding therapeutic benefit and reimbursement conditions.
An opinion is expected in the fall.
The HAS (French National Authority for Health) will then have to assess the benefits of medical cannabis for patients suffering from conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, or chronic pain resistant to other treatments. A second decree, announced as already prepared, is expected to pave the way for the future marketing of cannabis-based medicines.
So far, its use remains limited to an experimental device launched in 2021, which has been extended several times. Only a few hundred patients still benefit from it, thanks to a temporary authorization, even though the evaluations conducted during the trial highlighted a significant improvement in symptoms, without unexpected side effects.
