SERDANG, Oct 17 — The Health Ministry (MOH) will allow registrations for cannabis-based medication if there is solid evidence the product can be used safely and effectively to treat patients, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.
He said that the Institute for Clinical Research (ICR) under the National Health Institute was conducting reviews and discussions with experts, especially in the fields of ecology and palliative care.
“It also involves experts in services that provide treatment for certain conditions, such as epilepsy and they are checking on data from abroad in terms of effectiveness and safety of using cannabis in certain conditions (diseases).
“If the experts’ review reveals solid evidence cannabis can be used safely and effectively, then we can open up registration for those indications (use for treating certain diseases),” he said at a media conference after the handover of the Serdang Hospital Heart Centre here today.
He said that it was vital to ensure local experts are satisfied that cannabis could be used for certain conditions.
Media outlets had previously reported that the government would decide on the medical use of cannabis before the end of this year.
