Medical Innovation Draft Bill [PMB1-2014]

Call for comments opened 20 February 2014 Share this page:

Rules of the National Assembly

In accordance with the Rule 241(1) (b) of the Rules of the National Assembly, notice is given that Marion Oriani-Ambrosini MP intends introducing a private member's bill shortly in order to make provision for innovation in medical treatment and legalise the use of cannabinoids for medical purpose and beneficial commercial and Industrial uses

A copy of the draft Medical Innovation Bill and a memorandum setting out its objectives are included in the schedule to this notice in fulfillment o f the requirements of Rule 241(1)(c) of the Rules of the National Assembly.

Bill seeks to:
▪ make provision for innovation in medical treatment and to legalise the use of cannabinoids for medical purposes and beneficial commercial and industrial uses.

Interested parties and institution are invited to submit written representation on the draft bill.

Comments can be emailed to M B Coetzee at [email protected] and to [email protected] by no later than Sunday, 29 March 2014

Background
Under current legislation, medical practitioners are being legally prevented from prescribing and administering effective and harmless treatments, including those involving the use of cannabis, with respect to several life-threatening diseases, including cancer, because such treatments have not been approved in terms of presently legally required double-bind in vivo clinic studies. However, such clinical studies are often economically unviable, as the treatment or the substances used for it, such as bicarbonate of sodium or cannabis, are in the public domain and not capable of been patented, thereby preventing any relevant party from recouping the cost of such studies from future profits. This results in unnecessary human suffering and death on a mass scale, with consequent immense social and economic costs.