Bedrocan proud partner of Institute Medicinal Cannabis

Reliable information about medicinal cannabis and it effects is not always easy to find. For that reason, Dutch pharmacists, doctors, companies and researchers have joined forces and set up a new partnership: the Institute Medicinal Cannabis Netherlands (IMC). Bedrocan is one of the proud partners of this new institute. The IMC aims to improve the provision of information about medicinal cannabis to patients and prescribers and strengthen collaboration in scientific research. Professor Dr. Renger Witkamp, professor of Nutrition and Pharmacology at Wageningen University, is the chairman of the IMC. Ole Heil, director Communications & Government Affairs at Bedrocan, is treasurer.

Thousands of patients

In the Netherlands, medicinal cannabis has been available to patients on a doctor’s prescription through pharmacies since 2003. Currently, about 10,000 people, with various conditions, make use of it every year. It is used, among other things, as a painkiller and as a symptom reliever in certain forms of epilepsy, MS and palliative care. Nevertheless, it appears to be difficult to find good and reliable information about the use and application of medicinal cannabis.

Renger Witkamp: “Unfortunately, we see a lot of incorrect information about medicinal cannabis. Many patients who may benefit from the product end up unnecessarily in the coffee shop or with illegal providers. Or worse, some doctors even actively refer their patients to this. The IMC aims to change this through good information. The IMC promotes that the treatment of patients who may benefit from medicinal cannabis takes place under the medical supervision of a doctor and pharmacist.”

Coordination of research

In recent years, more and more research has been conducted into the effect and application of medicinal cannabis. This is also the case in the Netherlands. Researchers are working on this at almost every university in our country. Because the research area is still in its infancy, there is still little collaboration and coordination. The IMC provides a platform to bring researchers together and join forces where possible.

Dr. Monique van Velzen, research manager of the Anesthesiology department of the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), is a board member of the IMC, in charge of research: “I notice that there is a great need for collaboration in the field of medicinal cannabis scientific research. Many studies, sometimes even within the same institution, overlap. And it is also difficult for researchers to find out what is and what is not allowed when it comes to cannabis, with many delays as a result. That is a shame, and we will soon change that with the IMC. By connecting researchers, we can learn from each other and streamline, coordinate and structure research.”

Substantive experts

The IMC is a foundation to which various partners and substantive experts have joined. In addition to a number of companies from the medicinal cannabis chain in the Netherlands, including pharmacies, these are doctors and researchers from the LUMC, UMC Utrecht, University Medical Center Groningen and Wageningen University & Research.

More information and contact details are available on the IMC website.