ICR launches petition to defend access to imported medicinal cannabis in Brazil

The Conexão e Regulação Institute (ICR) has launched a national petition in defense of maintaining Anvisa's RDC 660/2022, a regulation that guarantees thousands of Brazilian patients the right to import cannabis-based medications for therapeutic use, upon medical prescription.

The mobilization occurs amid regulatory debates regarding the revision of RDC 327, which regulates cannabis products produced or distributed in Brazil. According to ICR, proposals under discussion may indirectly impact RDC 660, creating legal uncertainty for importing companies and, primarily, the risk of interrupting treatments for patients who depend exclusively on imported products.

Currently, medications accessed via RDC 660 are used to treat refractory epilepsies, chronic pain, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, severe anxiety, among other pathologies. In many cases, there are no therapeutic equivalents available in the national market, either due to differences in formulation, cannabinoid concentration, or pharmacological profile.

“The regulatory debate cannot overlook the direct impact on patients' lives. For thousands of families, any interruption in access means a real risk to health and clinical stability,” states ICR in the petition text.

The petition advocates that the public policy on medicinal cannabis in Brazil be built with a focus on the patient, ensuring the continuity of already established treatments, the therapeutic freedom of doctors and patients in choosing the most suitable product, the coexistence of different access models, including importation, and legal security for companies operating within the law, with traceable products and international quality standards.

The initiative is directed at patients, families, healthcare professionals, and civil society, and seeks to raise awareness among regulatory authorities and policymakers about the importance of keeping RDC 660 intact as one of the pillars of access to medicinal cannabis in the country.

The petition is available on the Public Petition platform and can be accessed via the link:

Access here: 

ICR emphasizes that access to health should not regress and that regulatory decisions need to consider clinical evidence, patient safety, and the right to therapeutic continuity.