Cannabis-based medicine for epilepsy available on NHS from January

People with severe epilepsy will be able to access a cannabis-based medicine on the NHS from early next year after it was fast-tracked for use. NHS England said doctors would be able to prescribe Epidyolex - which was approved in November - from 6 January. The medicine will be used to treat two rare, but severe, forms of childhood epilepsy - Lennox Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome - which can cause multiple seizures a day. Epilepsy Action's chief executive Philip Lee welcomed the announcement, saying it "Brings much-needed hope and could be life-changing for some". An official NHS review earlier this year found that a "Lack of evidence" was holding back cannabis medicines, which specialist doctors have been allowed to prescribe in the UK since a law change in November 2018.

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