On the event´s second day, HIS - Healthcare Innovation Show, presented a panel on the therapeutic properties of cannabis, which addressed future prospects for treatment and regulation.
In December 2020, the United Nations (UN) recognized the therapeutic properties of cannabis, removing it from the list of dangerous substances, like crack. The topic is gaining more and more space in the world, however, in Brazil, the debate has been taking place since the 1970s and the country is one of the references in studies on the subject, with professor Elisaldo Carlini, MD, as a precursor of research. Today, Brazil is the country that publishes the most about cannabis in the world. Each year, new discoveries about the plant help treat diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, in addition to minimizing seizures.
Demand for medical cannabis is on the rise. According to the Brazilian Association of the Cannabinoid Industry (BRCann), imports of products of the type grew 110% from 2020 to 2021. Much of this volume is destined for studies and research. Even so, the panelists who participated in the HIS - Healthcare Innovation Show highlighted the need to invest more in medical and social education on the subject. “Not all medical schools approach the topic of therapeutic cannabis as they should. We need to educate physicians on the correct prescription of the product and inform patients as to its use recommendation. It is not a medicine that works for everything and everyone", explains the former director of ANVISA and Business Development Executive of the Tavares Office, Alessandra Bastos Soares.
The professional told the audience of the event about her participation in the process of the first authorizations granted in Brazil in 2015. “When I look back and see what has been done since Dr. Carlini, I think about how we have evolved and how Brazil can and should position itself in the future. Currently, we are part of an international committee on regulation, to act in line with the international health policies."
An important fact remembered by another panelist, the co-founder & CMO of The Green Hub, Marcelo De Vita Grecco, was obtaining authorization for its use in the country. "The medicinal use of the plant started to be used in Brazil after a long struggle on the part of mothers of special children. We cannot forget that.”
Used in different treatments, including chronic pain, appropriate regulation can expand the population´s access to forms of treatment. “We have 77 million people in SUS seeking treatment for chronic pain. These are people who can benefit from a better quality of life as the subject gains more space”, commented Cannect CEO Allan James Paiotti.
Speakers also highlighted the need for political engagement for advances in regulation and access to therapeutic treatments, in addition to a clear definition of what is a product and what is a medicine. The strengthening of health surveillance on the product is also an important point that guarantees the safety and effectiveness of treatments. For Paiotti, the use of medical cannabis will be the future of health: “Cannabis will represent in the future what antibiotics represented for us in the last century. It will be transformative.”
HIS - Healthcare Innovation Show ends today, but it is still possible to take part. Informa Markets created a promotion, a special 50% discount on the registration fee. Just mention the codePROMO50% when registering for the event.
