Recent legal and regulatory developments pave the way for an increased commercialisation opportunity in cannabis-based medicines, but complex rules require careful navigation.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended the reimbursement of two plant-derived cannabis products for the first time on 10 November 2019. This follows Epidyolex becoming the first cannabis-derived medicine to be granted a marketing authorisation by the European Commission when it was approved for the treatment of two rare forms of epilepsy on 23 September 2019.1 In addition, recent changes to UK law loosen some of the restrictions on cannabis-based products for medicinal use. However, the regulatory regime for medicines containing cannabis-derived ingredients remains complex and nuanced.