On September 22, 2014, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell formally rejected a request from 30 members of Congress requesting that HHS end the obstructive Public Health Service (PHS) review process for privately funded medical marijuana research. A 1999 HHS Guidance requires an additional review process for federally regulated research with marijuana, but not for any Schedule I drug. This additional review process makes it difficult or impossible for scientists in the U.S. to gain approval for whole-plant medical marijuana drug development research. On June 17, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and 29 other Congressional representatives sent a letter to HHS requesting that the PHS review process be eliminated. MAPS is now working with Rep. Blumenauer’s office to prepare a letter to Sec. Burwell responding to her rejection letter, which ignores the substance of the 30 Congressional representatives’ concerns and fails to justify the problematic PHS review process for medical marijuana research. Learn more…
