Despite increasing demand for pot, a major health insurance company has decided to stop covering medical marijuana costs
Medical marijuana use is increasing across the Netherlands, but one of the country’s largest health insurers has announced it will stop covering the drug in its plans, reports leafly.com.
A representative of the Zilveren Kruis insurance company said reimbursing costs of medical cannabis “can no longer be justified because in recent scientific research the effects of medicinal cannabis have not been demonstrated.” The spokesperson was referring to a 2015 article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that concluded “cannabis and cannabinoid drugs are widely used to treat disease or alleviate symptoms, but their efficacy for specific indications is not clear.”
This seems counter to the view of the Dutch Bureau of Medicinal Cannabis (BMC), part of the country’s Ministry of Health. The bureau notes in a brochure for patients that “Medicinal cannabis as yet plays no role in the healing of diseases, but it can reduce the symptoms of the diseases. Medical cannabis can also help reduce the dosages and side effects of other medications.”
The firm’s decision to drop coverage this year has drawn widespread criticism, as more patients are using the substance as a way to treat their ailments. The Dutch Pharmaceutical Weekly has reported a total of roughly 45,000 transactions this year – excluding patients who buy cannabis at coffee shops or purchase cannabis oil online – putting the country on track for an 80% uptick in the number of cannabis prescriptions this year.
The lack of clarity regarding medical marijuana’s effectiveness stems from a lack of systematic studies, explains leading Dutch cannabis researcher Dr. Arno Hazekamp, who helped set up the only legal cannabis production facility in the country. “When a new drug is introduced on the market, it’s extensively researched and tested,” said Hazekamp. “These studies cost millions, and they are paid for by the manufacturer, who has an interest in approval of the new drug, so that it can be sold at a large profit [to quickly recover research costs]. But nobody owns cannabis, so nobody wants to pay for large-scale clinical studies with cannabis.”
A lot of small-scale research is being done, but the individual studies are far from coordinated or standardized. “Different researchers use different types of cannabis, different ways of taking the medicine, and different dosages, so you end up with a lot of different stories,” he said.
With Zilveren Kruis’ rejection of the drug, only two smaller insurers are left to cover cannabis treatment in the Netherlands. The question now is whether Zilveren Kruis will eventually accept the existing clamor and support for the substance, or the other two will become similarly skeptical.
Related stories:
Canadian campus council exploring options for cannabis coverage
Insurers in holding pattern until government moves on cannabis legalisation
A representative of the Zilveren Kruis insurance company said reimbursing costs of medical cannabis “can no longer be justified because in recent scientific research the effects of medicinal cannabis have not been demonstrated.” The spokesperson was referring to a 2015 article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that concluded “cannabis and cannabinoid drugs are widely used to treat disease or alleviate symptoms, but their efficacy for specific indications is not clear.”
This seems counter to the view of the Dutch Bureau of Medicinal Cannabis (BMC), part of the country’s Ministry of Health. The bureau notes in a brochure for patients that “Medicinal cannabis as yet plays no role in the healing of diseases, but it can reduce the symptoms of the diseases. Medical cannabis can also help reduce the dosages and side effects of other medications.”
The firm’s decision to drop coverage this year has drawn widespread criticism, as more patients are using the substance as a way to treat their ailments. The Dutch Pharmaceutical Weekly has reported a total of roughly 45,000 transactions this year – excluding patients who buy cannabis at coffee shops or purchase cannabis oil online – putting the country on track for an 80% uptick in the number of cannabis prescriptions this year.
The lack of clarity regarding medical marijuana’s effectiveness stems from a lack of systematic studies, explains leading Dutch cannabis researcher Dr. Arno Hazekamp, who helped set up the only legal cannabis production facility in the country. “When a new drug is introduced on the market, it’s extensively researched and tested,” said Hazekamp. “These studies cost millions, and they are paid for by the manufacturer, who has an interest in approval of the new drug, so that it can be sold at a large profit [to quickly recover research costs]. But nobody owns cannabis, so nobody wants to pay for large-scale clinical studies with cannabis.”
A lot of small-scale research is being done, but the individual studies are far from coordinated or standardized. “Different researchers use different types of cannabis, different ways of taking the medicine, and different dosages, so you end up with a lot of different stories,” he said.
With Zilveren Kruis’ rejection of the drug, only two smaller insurers are left to cover cannabis treatment in the Netherlands. The question now is whether Zilveren Kruis will eventually accept the existing clamor and support for the substance, or the other two will become similarly skeptical.
Related stories:
Canadian campus council exploring options for cannabis coverage
Insurers in holding pattern until government moves on cannabis legalisation
