The government has set a timetable aimed at allowing the widespread use of cannabis for medical purposes in France starting in 2027, according to information from France Inter Friday. After several years of hesitation, the health authorities have launched the preparation of the regulatory texts necessary to govern the production, authorization and coverage 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.
