133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T +64 4 496 2000
www.medsafe.govt.nz
17 September 2020
Treat you better Limited
By email:
[FYI request #13562 email]
Ref:
H202006406
Dear Treat you better Limited
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) on 21 August
2020 for:
•
“…Request 1
Could you please provide information you hold in relation to:
- total number of CBD prescriptions that have been issued (up to last 5 years)
broken down by month
- total number of CBD prescriptions that have been fil ed/dispensed (up to last 5
years) broken down by month
•
Request 2
Could you please also provide in your response:
- a breakdown by geography of prescriptions issued and dispensed
- clarification on whether repeat prescriptions would be included in the above
figures, in which case is it also possible to provide a summary of the total
instances of CBD product prescribed and dispensed broken down by geography
and calendar year?…”
The Ministry of Health (the Ministry) is unable to provide the information you have requested
across your two requests.
There is one medicine containing CBD (and THC) that has been granted consent for sale,
supply, distribution and advertising by the Minister of Health, or his/her delegate under
section 20 of the Medicines Act 1981. This medicine is not currently funded by PHARMAC
and so information on prescribing and supply is not reported to the Ministry. As this
information is not held by the Ministry, your request is refused under section 18(g) of the Act.
Other medicines containing CBD that have been prescribed, have been supplied under the
exemption provisions in section 29 of the Medicines Act 1981. Information on prescription
numbers, patient names and doctor names and locations is not required to be supplied to
Medsafe, though it must be held by the supplier and available to Medsafe if needed. Where
not held, this information is refused under section 18(g) of the Act.
In some instances, this information has been supplied to Medsafe, but this cannot be made
available without substantial collation or research. This information is refused under section
18(f) of the Act. Further to this, please note that the information requested would also need
to be withheld under section 9(2)(b)(i ) of the Act, as making this available would be likely
unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is
subject to the information.
However, Medsafe does hold data on the number of packs of products, containing only
cannabidiol, that have been reported to Medsafe as having been supplied under the
exemption provisions in section 29 of the Medicines Act 1981. The information held is
supplied as Appendix one. Please note that the number of packs does not represent either
the number of patients supplied, the number of doses of cannabidiol, or the number of
prescriptions written and dispensed. Pack sizes vary and patients may be prescribed more
than one product (or strength, or dose form) and obtain more than one prescription in any
one month. As reporting is retrospective (i.e. in the month following supply), the data
supplied may change.
Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Medsafe website.
Yours sincerely
Chris James
Group Manager
Medsafe
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