Special permits for medical marijuana issued by FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can issue a Compassionate Special Permit (CSP) so that patients suffering from life threatening conditions such as AIDS and cancer could be granted legal access to an unregistered drug like marijuana.

According to Jun Veneracion's report on State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, Department of Health (DOH) Administrative Order No. 4 issued in November 3, 1992 provides "policy and requirements for availing of Compassionate Special Permit (CSP) for restricted use of unregistered drug and device product/preparation."

The FDA, however, administers a strict screening process before granting access to drugs and medicines that are not registered in the Philippines for compassionate use.

The special permit to import unregistered drugs were only issued to 2,160 patients from 2015 to November 2018. 

"Hindi po ito para sa lahat. Ito po ay para sa specific patients," FDA Director General Nela Galang-Puno said in a briefing.

According to the report, an applicant is only granted a CSP for unregistered drugs such as cannabis oil if the patient is suffering from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS),  Cancer and Life-threatening conditions.

The applicant has to present a letter of request, a prescription and a medical abstract provided by an attending physician with an S2 license issued by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

The doctor will be required to justify the need to prescribe unregistered drugs to the patient, as well as submit monitoring reports on the patient's condition to the FDA and PDEA.

Galang-Puno emphasized during the briefing the recreational use of marijuana, particularly cannabis smoking, is strictly prohibited by law.

The FDA has rejected at least three applications due to medical cannabis for insufficient requirements.

"Ang aming hong ina-allow... itong medical marijuana na tinatawag natin -- medical ho. Hindi ho ito 'yung mga dahon na...ini--i-smoke ho ng mga tao. Hindo ho 'yan 'yun," she said. — Margaret Claire Layug/BAP, GMA News