Anvisa and scientific community discuss medicinal cannabis cultivation today (11)

The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) has committed to taking actions to advance the regulatory process of cannabis cultivation for medicinal purposes. The deadline for the conclusion of the process is March 31, 2026.

The actions include listening to the academic community and other stakeholders. Among the measures are meetings with researchers dealing with the topic, the agency informed Portal Sechat.

As part of this process, the academic community and Anvisa are holding one of these meetings this Tuesday (11), at 2 PM, online. According to a researcher who will be present, the moment is expected to enrich the debate and allow for new perspectives on national regulation.

Deadline and listening for the regulation of cannabis cultivation

During a Public Collegiate Board Meeting on October 8, Anvisa's director, Thiago Campos, highlighted the importance of listening. Campos stated that it is essential to carry out "listening and other forms of social participation that allow identifying the best conditions for the production of quality inputs and the promotion of research."

"The additional requested deadline creates the possibility of presenting a more consistent proposal, capable of incorporating the real needs of Cannabis sativa cultivation in national territory exclusively for medicinal and pharmaceutical purposes," said the director.

Court extends deadline for cultivation regulation

The discussion follows a recent judicial decision. On Thursday (6), Minister Regina Helena Costa voted to extend the deadline for the regulation of cannabis cultivation in Brazil, within the scope of the Competence Assumption Incident (IAC 16).

The decision grants an additional 180 days for Anvisa and the competent ministries to conclude the action plan, extending the final deadline to March 31, 2026. Justifying the vote, the minister stated that the process "involves a structural dispute, with complex execution, requiring alignment of multiple technical and social perspectives."

According to Regina Helena, the case requires a coordinated effort between the government, civil society, and technical bodies to advance the cannabis cultivation agenda.

"This is a very complex case and equally complex execution of what was decided. Here we have the execution of a command in a process that involves a structural dispute, that is, a rooted problem that requires a series of restructuring acts," concluded the minister.