New regulation includes veterinarians in prescribing medicinal cannabis in Brazil, paving the way for one of the largest markets in the world in the sector
Veterinarians can now prescribe cannabis-based products in Brazil. Ordinance 344, which is updated annually, was amended to include this new possibility. Addendum 12 of List E now specifies that "prescription by veterinarians of cannabis-based products with health authorization for entry into Brazil is permitted". Cannabis, previously listed as a prohibited substance, is now included in the list of controlled substances and is now controlled by Addendum 9 of List A3, of controlled substances, subject to prescription notification.
According to the draft of the new RDC from Anvisa, veterinarians duly registered with the Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine are allowed to prescribe cannabis medicines and products for exclusively veterinary use, as long as they are duly regularized and have health authorization for transportation within the national territory. The prescription must follow special receipt control, as established by Decree No. 5,053, of April 22, 2004.
The Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) "were involved and consulted regarding the text and both expressed support for the inclusion of the veterinary use of Cannabis in Ordinance 344. Both stated that this is a substantial change for the veterinary sector as a whole", explained Erik Amazonas, researcher at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) and member of the scientific committee of the Brazilian Congress of Medicinal Cannabis.
For veterinarian Erik Amazonas, a researcher at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) and a member of the scientific committee of the Brazilian Congress on Medicinal Cannabis, this decision "is a turning point in the cannabis industry in Brazil. We are opening it up for use in animals and removing an entire professional category from the legal risk provided for in the drug law. This ensures and significantly expands the possibilities for both clinical treatments and research. From 2025 onwards, Brazil could become one of the world´s leading markets for veterinary cannabis products. I hope it will also become one of the world´s leading producers of cannabis for veterinary and human use."
About Ordinance 344
Ordinance 344/98 of the Ministry of Health regulates the sale and supply of medicines and substances under special control in Brazil. This ordinance covers products such as narcotics, psychotropic drugs and anabolic steroids. With the most recent update, in addition to dentists, veterinarians can now also prescribe cannabis derivatives, as is already the case with other controlled substances.
"This is an important victory for the veterinary profession, which has been organized into specific Working Groups in several Regional Councils and also with a Working Group from the Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine itself. Since 2020, the agency has been pressuring Anvisa to make this inclusion, which is now celebrated by the entire profession," concludes Amazonas.
Source: https://sechat.com.br/noticia/anvisa-permite-prescricao-veterinaria-de-produtos-a-base-de-cannabis-para-uso-medicinal-em-animais
Anvisa allows veterinary prescription of cannabis-based products for medicinal use in animals
