In Portugal, spending on Epidyolex, a CBD-based medication, exceeds 3 million euros

In Portugal, Epidyolex, a cannabidiol (CBD)-based medication, a non-psychoactive compound of Cannabis sativa, is already clinically established, but it still does not have a defined public reimbursement.

Approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the drug is indicated for the treatment of rare and severe forms of epilepsy, such as Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes. Prescribed exclusively by doctors, Epidyolex is used in conjunction with other antiepileptics and is aimed at patients who do not respond to conventional therapies.

According to information from the portal CannaReporter, the Portuguese state has already spent more than 3 million euros on the acquisition of Epidyolex for the National Health Service (SNS), while Infarmed has been evaluating the possibility of reimbursing the medication in the public system for almost four years.

Early access use raises costs for SNS

Currently, Epidyolex is not regularly marketed in Portugal and reaches patients through an Early Access Program (PAP), a mechanism that allows the use of medications that have not yet received a final reimbursement decision.

In practice, this means that hospitals bear the full costs, without the medication being available in community pharmacies.

According to CannaReporter, spending has significantly increased in recent years. In 2025 alone, public purchases exceeded 2 million euros, an amount that represents almost double what had been invested since the beginning of the program until 2024.

Prolonged evaluation and impact on patients

The analysis process by Infarmed occurs within the framework of the National Health Technology Assessment System (SiNATS) and considers criteria such as clinical efficacy, safety, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact for the SNS. Despite this, the absence of a final decision keeps patients and families dependent on exceptional authorizations to ensure the continuity of treatment.

As pointed out by CannaReporter, experts and patient associations highlight that the eventual reimbursement of Epidyolex could facilitate access to the medication, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and provide greater therapeutic predictability for people who require continuous use.

With information from CannaReporter.