The São Paulo City Hall is in the final stages of expanding the prescription of cannabidiol in the municipality's public health network. According to the Municipal Health Department (SMS), this first phase includes over 30 pathologies, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis, fibromyalgia, sleep disorders, and other conditions.

According to the department, the prescription will only be carried out by legally qualified and trained doctors for the use of medicinal cannabis, based on individual clinical evaluation. Municipal network professionals are already undergoing specific training for the use of this therapy.

The Technical Note SMS/SEABEVS No. 01/2025, which guides the work, is in the final stages of publication. The City Hall also indicates a page with all documents related to cannabidiol products, but the site is still "down."

Adjuvant treatment and expanded access

Initially, cannabidiol will be indicated as an adjuvant treatment for patients with severe and/or refractory conditions, covering clinical conditions listed by the CID. According to the Department, the measure aims to expand access to patients who, until now, had to resort to the courts to obtain treatment.

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The medications will be available at reference municipal pharmacies, according to Ordinance SMS No. 440/2023. For withdrawal, a medical prescription, B1 prescription notification, SUS card or CPF, and the Free and Informed Consent Form (TCLE) will be required. The list of pharmacies can be consulted on the "Remédio na Hora" platform.

A total of five cannabidiol products will be available in the municipal network. The Full Spectrum cannabidiol of 200mg/ml and 100mg/ml (with up to 0.2% THC); the Broad Spectrum 200mg/ml, 100mg/ml, and 50mg/ml (THC-free).

Legislation and regulation

In the note, the municipal administration emphasizes that it follows the regulations of the National Commission for the Incorporation of Technologies in the SUS (Conitec), always evaluating the scientific evidence of medications to determine their incorporation into the public system.

Furthermore, the document reinforces the terms of item II of the Fundamental Principles of the Medical Code of Ethics, which define human health as the focus of all medical attention, requiring professionals to act with zeal and maximum technical capacity.

See the list of diseases provided in the project: