The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) published, on Wednesday (26), the Collegiate Board Resolution (RDC) 999/2025. The new regulation updates the SVS/MS Ordinance No. 344/1998, explicitly allowing veterinarians authorized by the Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine (CFMV) to prescribe medical cannabis.

To understand the practical impact of this change, the report spoke with veterinarian Caroline Campagnone. According to the specialist, the publication is not just a bureaucratic update, but a milestone that brings legal robustness to the use of medical cannabis by the class.

"The publication of RDC 999, which updates ordinance 344, expressly formalizes the inclusion of veterinary medicine in the context of medical cannabis in Brazil," points out Campagnone.

Regulatory consolidation of medical cannabis

RDC 999 arrives to organize a scenario that had been gradually built in the country. The regulation incorporates rules previously set out in RDC 327 and solidifies the advances achieved with RDC 936.

For the veterinarian, the new resolution eliminates gray areas in the legislation on medical cannabis. "In practice, this regulation legally consolidates what had already been built previously with RDC 936," explains Campagnone.

This achievement did not happen by chance, but as a result of intense articulation between the veterinary class and the regulatory agency. The main objective was to ensure that the substance was formally recognized as a legitimate therapeutic tool for animal use.

"It is the result of a lot of technical dialogue and institutional representativeness. When there was no regulation on the prescription of phytocannabinoids, an effort was made with regional councils and CFMV to have a constructive dialogue with Anvisa, recognizing this use of a therapeutic tool by us," highlights the specialist.

Rules for prescribing medical cannabis and sanitary aspects

In addition to authorizing the practice, RDC 999 details how the prescription of medical cannabis should be carried out. The regulation brings into Ordinance 344 the sanitary and control requirements that were already applied to human medicine.

This standardizes access and ensures the quality of products prescribed for animals. Campagnone clarifies the technicality of this legislative change and its practical impacts.

"It was the consolidation of RDC 936, which already amended ordinance 344. Now, 999 is incorporating those aspects of RDC 327 that we already knew about prescription and the sanitary issue of medical cannabis products. Now all of this is incorporated into 344 for the veterinarian," concludes.