Mamedica is a London, UK-based

medical cannabis Medical cannabis, medicinal cannabis or medical marijuana (MMJ) refers to cannabis products and cannabinoid molecules that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. The use of cannabis as medicine has a long history, but has not ...

clinic which was founded in 2021 and launched in 2022. It is one of four UK clinics licensed to prescribe and dispense medical cannabis.

History

In August 2022, it published a survey of 4,000 people which found that 60% of British people would consider using cannabis to treat medical conditions, particularly if prescribed by a doctor. A February 2023 survey for Mamedica found a third of respondents would use medical marijuana to help treat depression. In June 2023, Mamedica announced a strategic UK partnership with Canadian medical cannabis products supplier 4C Labs. The clinic has reported a 400% increase in patients since it was founded. Robson says the clinic aims "to offer an alternative to conventional medicines to individuals who are struggling with a severe medical condition and desire to regain a sense of normalcy in their daily lives". Mamedica is a member of the UK's Cannabis Industry Council.

Patient conditions

Since June 2022, 40% of Mamedica's prescriptions have been for

mental health Mental health is often mistakenly equated with the absence of mental illness. However, mental health refers to a person's overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences how individuals think, feel, and behave, and how t ...

conditions, including

anxiety Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner wikt:turmoil, turmoil and includes feelings of dread over Anticipation, anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response ...

, depression, stress,

insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low ene ...

and

post-traumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that develops from experiencing a Psychological trauma, traumatic event, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, warfare and its associated traumas, natural disaster ...

. In 2023, Mamedica reported an increase in demand from patients suffering from psychiatric conditions and opting to use medical cannabis as a replacement for traditional medication that can cause side effects. In addition, the clinic prescribes CBD to support patients with

menopause Menopause, also known as the climacteric, is the time when Menstruation, menstrual periods permanently stop, marking the end of the Human reproduction, reproductive stage for the female human. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 5 ...

symptoms like hot flushes, and the clinic supports patients living with chronic neurological pain, with bespoke cannabis-based prescription medicines (CBPMs) that improve individuals' overall quality of life by reducing symptoms of depression and

Eligibility for treatment

While more than 89,000 private medical cannabis prescriptions have been made in the UK, there have been fewer than five medical cannabis prescriptions via the

NHS The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...

. UK legislation states that a prescription for medical cannabis can only be initiated by a specialist consultant on the

General Medical Council The General Medical Council (GMC) is a public body that maintains the official register of physician, medical practitioners within the United Kingdom. Its chief responsibility is to "protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the pu ...

(GMC) register. Before patients can book a Mamedica consultation, they need to have tried at least two licensed medications or treatments and must not have any history of

schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...

psychosis In psychopathology, psychosis is a condition in which a person is unable to distinguish, in their experience of life, between what is and is not real. Examples of psychotic symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized or inco ...

. Patients must provide their medical records and details about their family medical history to mitigate any potential risks of using CBPMs.

Treatment

Mamedica doctors can prescribe CBPMs including THC,

Cannabidiol Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid, one of 113 identified cannabinoids in ''Cannabis'', along with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and accounts for up to 40% of the plant's extract. Medically, it is an anticonvulsant used to treat multiple f ...

(CBD) and balanced cannabis profiles and cannabis flower, oil, capsules and cartridges for patients living with chronic conditions. Mamedica's cannabis flower prescriptions are strictly for use in dry-herb vaporisers, devices that let patients heat the flower and inhale its contents as a vapour.

References

{{reflist Cannabis 2021 establishments in England Medicinal use of cannabis Medicinal use of cannabis organizations Cannabis companies

History

Patient conditions

Eligibility for treatment

Treatment

See also

References