Cannabis oil from the Khaokwan Foundation is expected to be legally distributed to patients by the end of this month, after the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine agreed to register the foundation's leader as a traditional doctor.
Daycha: Meets all criteria
Founder Daycha Siripatra will be able to register as a traditional doctor as he fulfils all the necessary criteria, Marut Jirasrattasiri said yesterday in his role as chief of the department.
He cited Mr Daycha's strong interest in traditional medicine, the warmth with which local communities have embraced him, his willingness to transfer knowledge to others, and his reasonable prices.
Dr Marut said a provincial committee will proceed with registering him after a formal request has been submitted to its public health office in Suphan Buri, the foundation's base. Everything should be finalised within weeks, he added.
One of the foundation's employees, Pornchai Choolert, was arrested during a raid by officials from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) on April 3.
He was subsequently charged with illegally cultivating and possessing marijuana, after it was determined that he had played a role in providing free cannabis oil to cancer patients without the proper authorisation.
A representative from the foundation submitted a request for Mr Daycha's registration with a local official yesterday.
The government said earlier it would grant amnesty to sick people, doctors and researchers who possess marijuana but lack the proper certification, provided they come forward and register.
The foundation has appealed for an amnesty and had that rejected, but is now hopeful of a reversal given the government's apparent endorsement of Mr Daycha's registration bid.
As he does not classify as a traditional doctor, a status upgrade would allow him to lawfully dispense cannabis oil to patients under the newly-promulgated Narcotics Act.
Dr Marut said a mechanism would be put in place to ensure the patients receive drugs that are safe and not contaminated by heavy metals, fungi, dangerous chemicals or anything harmful to their health.
More research by accredited academic institutes will be needed to study the effectiveness of the drugs and treatments, he noted.
Mr Daycha will form part of a research team that may fall under the so-called "special access scheme". This would see the foundation team up with academic institutes in researching and developing cannabis oil in a more systematic way based on academic methods, he said.
"Mr Daycha cannot do things like in the past. He must do his own research with the institutes and follow the law. Any drugs given to patients must be declared safe," he added.
"We will strive to make it happen in a matter of weeks."
He said the foundation was on the right track by trying to forge closer cooperation with many universities. "This will pave the way for more people to benefit from having greater access to alternative treatment."
Parnthep Pourpongpan, dean of Rangsit University's Institute of Integrative and Anti-Ageing Medicine, said being registered as a traditional doctor would help Mr Daycha legally conduct research in line with the law.
Drug trials on humans must be approved by the Ministry of Public Health's ethical committee.
