"It is entirely because of the inaction of the Department of Health"
Over the past couple of years, Cork mum-of-four Vera Twomey has been campaigning for the right to access medicinal cannabis for her daughter Ava.
Ava was born with a rare form of epilepsy known as Dravet Syndrome, which at one point caused her to suffer 16 seizures in 36 hours.
Back in 2017, Vera won the right for Ava to use Bedrocan products (which produce standardised medicinal cannabis flos) to stabilise her condition and live a much more pain-free life. The only catch is that they must travel to the Netherlands every 12 weeks to get them.
Earlier this year, Minister for Health Simon Harris signed a legislation which has allowed for the operation of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme; a programme that now facilitates access to cannabis-based products for medical use in line with legislation.
This was amazing new for Ava and her family, until they realised Bedrocan was not included on the list.
Aurora High CBD Oil Drops and CannEpil are the names of the the two new products that have been approved and registered for use in Ireland under the programme. Vera must still make her trips to the Netherlands.
Speaking on Today FM's Dermot and Dave, Vera states that the lack of accessibility is; "entirely because of the inaction of the Department of Health".
Vera continues by saying that even if Ava was prescribed either of the two new CBD-based medications, she fears the change could have a negative effect seeing as her daughter is doing so "tremendously well" with the Bedrocan.
Surely in today's day and age, you'd think a supplier for the Bedrocan could be sourced, but this is what Vera was told by the powers that be; "no entity in Ireland could provide that service". Unbelievable!
You can listen to Vera's chat in full by pressing the play button on screen.
