Faroese doctors can prescribe cannabis through a medical trial scheme

Doctors in the Faroe Islands could prescribe medical cannabis through a trial scheme from April 2019, the Chief Medical Officer confirms.^[1] The accompanying guidance placed responsibility on the treating doctor, recommending conventional treatments first and careful documentation and follow-up.^[2]

Patients already had narrower prescription options

A year earlier, Faroese GPs could prescribe eleven cannabis-containing medicinal products, according to a public-broadcaster report explaining the health authorities’ position.^[3] Flowers and buds available in Denmark’s trial were excluded from Faroese approval at that time.^[3]

MP Jenis á Rana proposed access to the Danish scheme, but parliament rejected his first attempt in 2018.^[4] When he returned with the proposal in April 2019, many MPs supported wider access while questioning whether a new law was needed.^[4]

Health minister Sirið Stenberg offered to discuss adding products to the medicines list with the social affairs committee.^[4]

Doctors had to explain the treatment choice

The Chief Medical Officer and Chief Pharmacist’s joint guidance identifies pain, multiple sclerosis, spinal-cord injury and nausea or vomiting after chemotherapy as treatment areas.^[2] It recommends trying relevant authorised medicines before medical cannabis.^[2]

Any doctor could prescribe for a pain indication under the guidance, while neurological conditions and chemotherapy-related symptoms were directed towards the relevant specialists.^[2] The patient’s record should explain earlier treatment and the reason for choosing cannabis.^[2]

Patients were to take part in the decision, with the prescriber monitoring benefit and safety.^[2] Departures from the suggested indication list required a detailed explanation in the record.^[2]

Flower required a new supply order

In July 2019, the Pharmacy Service ordered cannabis buds from a Dutch supplier at a doctor’s request.^[5] The broadcaster distinguished that order from cannabis drops already prescribed to 61 patients.^[5]

It reported that the order came from the Netherlands because Denmark could not export the cannabis it had itself imported.^[5] The episode shows how permission to prescribe a new form still required a pharmacy to arrange its supply.^[5]

Treatment carried responsibilities beyond a prescription

The Pharmacy Service describes the trial products as subject to different requirements from approved medicines and stresses reporting adverse reactions.^[6] Its guidance also tells patients that they may not drive while receiving medical cannabis.^[6]

For the Faroe Islands, April 2019 marks a confirmed opening in patient access, followed by the practical work of sourcing flower and supervising treatment.^[1][2][5]