Sativex prescriptions in England slowly increased over a decade but remain uncommon
NHS prescriptions for Sativex (nabiximols) for multiple sclerosis increased slightly from 2013 to 2022, but the overall rate remained very low at about 5 prescriptions per 100,000 people.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Sativex prescriptions in England rose from 4.42 items per 100,000 people in 2013 to 5.15 in 2022, an average increase of 0.34% per year. Prescription costs also increased by an average of 2.43% per year. Neither trend reached statistical significance.
Key Numbers
4.42 prescriptions per 100,000 in 2013 to 5.15 in 2022; average annual increase 0.34% (95% CI -3.98 to 4.67, p = 0.860); cost increase 2.43% per year (95% CI -5.78 to 0.92, p = 0.133)
How They Did This
Analysis of primary care prescribing data from the Prescription Cost Analysis database (2013-2022) with linear regression to examine trends in prescription items and costs for cannabinoid-based Sativex in England.
Why This Research Matters
Despite being one of the few approved cannabis-based medicines in the UK, Sativex remains rarely prescribed a decade after becoming available, raising questions about barriers to access.
The Bigger Picture
The slow uptake of an approved cannabis-based medicine in a healthcare system that covers it suggests systemic barriers beyond just legality, including prescriber hesitancy and restrictive guidelines.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Primary care data only, may miss specialist prescribing; cannot assess patient outcomes; no data on why prescribing remains low; linear regression may not capture non-linear trends; no patient-level data
Questions This Raises
- ?What barriers prevent broader Sativex prescribing in England?
- ?Are MS patients seeking cannabis products outside the NHS instead?
- ?Would updated prescribing guidelines increase uptake?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 5.15 prescriptions per 100,000 people in 2022
- Evidence Grade:
- Administrative prescribing data providing population-level trends, but lacking patient outcomes or explanatory factors.
- Study Age:
- 2024 publication analyzing 2013-2022 data
- Original Title:
- Trends in prescription and cost of Sativex, a cannabinoid-based medicine, in treating patients with multiple sclerosis in England.
- Published In:
- Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice, 17(1), 2342318 (2024)
- Authors:
- Javid, Farideh A(2), Alam, Anam, Williams, Emily, Malik, Sidhra Sajid, Mohayuddin, Usama, Hasan, Syed Shahzad
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05404
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How common are Sativex prescriptions in England?
Very uncommon. By 2022, only about 5.15 prescriptions per 100,000 people were dispensed annually. The rate has increased only slightly over the decade since monitoring began, averaging a 0.34% increase per year.
Why might prescribing remain so low?
The study does not directly answer this, but possible factors include restrictive NHS prescribing guidelines, cost considerations, prescriber unfamiliarity with the product, and patient preference for other cannabis products available through private channels.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05404APA
Javid, Farideh A; Alam, Anam; Williams, Emily; Malik, Sidhra Sajid; Mohayuddin, Usama; Hasan, Syed Shahzad. (2024). Trends in prescription and cost of Sativex, a cannabinoid-based medicine, in treating patients with multiple sclerosis in England.. Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice, 17(1), 2342318. https://doi.org/10.1080/20523211.2024.2342318
MLA
Javid, Farideh A, et al. "Trends in prescription and cost of Sativex, a cannabinoid-based medicine, in treating patients with multiple sclerosis in England.." Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/20523211.2024.2342318
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Trends in prescription and cost of Sativex, a cannabinoid-ba..." RTHC-05404. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/javid-2024-trends-in-prescription-and
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.