Cannabis derived products are about to be rescheduled in the UK. This means patients can finally access much need cannabinoid medications.

We at The United Patients Alliance (UPAlliance.org) are aware that applying for these medications is unlikely to be simple or straightforward. The government has set up an application system for emergency licenses in the interim whilst further legislation is implemented and we are aware that patients need guidance with this process as well.

It’s not only patients that will need help. We expect the biggest hurdle to patient access will be the lack of properly informed doctors. Not fully understanding the mechanisms, effects and products available will mean doctors are much less likely to prescribe cannabis medicines.

We plan to publish materials aimed specifically for to help patients when speaking with their doctor. These will be designed to convince sceptical or uninformed doctors of the need to prescribe. We aim to provide clear & succinct guides for clinicians as well as for dispensing pharmacists and other practitioners such as nurses who may need advice in administering new medicines. We will also provide guidelines on accessing medications through the emergency license process as well.

We are asking for what may seem a large figure. But we hope to print off a large number of these varying materials to distribute throughout the country, free of charge, to patients who need them and (if we raise enough) to distribute to pharmacies and GP practices throughout the UK.

With your help we can ensure there is #nopatientleftbehind and that both patients and their medical team are informed and able to start making use of these newly available products and navigate the systems set in place to obtain them.

The changes being made are incredibly exciting but we must come together now to ensure the right information is in the right hands to enable patient access to cannabis medicines.

Please help us make this a reality.

Thank You

The UPA team