Controlled Drugs

Beyond cannabis: why we should look at legalising other illegal drugs for medical use to benefit patients

The UK government has finally realised the value of cannabis as a medicine, but it must not ignore the medical potential of other Schedule 1 drugs, such as psilocybin, LSD and MDMA.…

Pregabalin and gabapentin to be reclassified as Class C controlled substances

Pregabalin and gabapentin are to be reclassified as Class C controlled substances from April 2019, the government has announced.…

UK developer of medical cannabis products raises $345m through share sale

The UK biopharmaceutical company GW Pharmaceuticals, a leading global developer of medicinal cannabis products, has released 2.1 million shares on the US stock exchange raising US$345m.…

Improving and standardising the management of controlled drugs

Ensuring the safe and effective management of controlled drugs is an important role for pharmacists, particularly in secondary care.…

Medical cannabis: evidence, challenges and barriers to progress

The UK government recognises that cannabis-based medicines could benefit children with epilepsy, but more robust effectiveness and safety data is required before the products can become widely available.…

CQC report identifies need for register to tackle risk of controlled drug prescription forgery

Private prescriptions for controlled drugs could be forged because community pharmacies do not have access to a register of the personal identification numbers of legitimate prescribers, a Care Quality Commission report has warned.…

MP criticises government position on medicinal cannabis

The government’s handling of its overhaul of medicinal cannabis has been criticised as “cruel” and “flawed” by an MP who sits on the All Party Parliamentary Group for drug policy reform.…

FDA grants first approval of a cannabis-derived medicine

A cannabis-derived medicine has been approved for the first time by the US Food and Drug Administration.…

Government to review medicinal use of cannabis

The government will consider whether medicinal cannabis should be rescheduled, Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, has announced.…

Tighter regulations in United States drive opioid sales via ‘cryptomarkets’

The number of opioids sold through online illicit markets has doubled, coinciding with the restriction of one of the most frequently presctibed opioid analgesics in the United States, according to results from a study published in The British Medical Journal.…