The NHS will be able to prescribe cannabidiol to patients with a rare, seizure-causing genetic disorder in England from today (Tuesday) after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) issued final guidance recommending its use.
Around one in every 6,000 people suffer from tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) that causes seizures, which severely affect their quality of life from a very young age, as well as their families and carers.
Around 1,000 patients could benefit from the treatment, with clinical trials showing that when used alongside standard patient care such as typical antiseizure medications, cannabidiol (also known as Epidyolex®) reduces the frequency of seizures by almost a third (30%), increasing the number of days patients can go without a seizure compared with placebo, and lowering the risk of sudden death.
Read more at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2023/01/nhs-to-offer-licensed-cannabis-based-medicine-to-treat-rare-genetic-condition/
