Approved but denied
Sativex is a cannabis based spray. It has been approved across the UK to treat 'moderate' to 'severe' spasticity when other treatments haven’t worked.
Many people with MS are still being denied access to Sativex because their local health bodies aren't prescribing it. This has resulted in an unacceptable postcode lottery.
We launched our Approved but Denied campaign in August 2021 to improve access to Sativex for eligible patients. Back then, Sativex was funded in only 49 out of 106 local health bodies called Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
Over 2000 of you joined our call for change and took action to ask your local CCG to start prescribing Sativex. Every CCG in England which was not prescribing Sativex has now been contacted by campaigners. We briefed 345 MPs about the issue in their area, and mobilised dozens of them to take up the case.
What’s happened since we launched our campaign?
One year on, we’ve seen some great results! By June 2022, the number of CCGs who state they routinely fund Sativex increased by 45%. A list of these CCGs is at the bottom of this page.
But we know there’s still more to do. We want Sativex to be available to everyone who's eligible. We’re planning the next stage of the campaign for next year.
We’re also aware that local NHS structures have changed. In July this year, new NHS bodies called Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) replaced CCGs, which were legally dissolved.
We hope these changes won’t affect access to Sativex, but we'll continue to monitor the situation.
What does this mean for people with MS?
Your old CCG might've made the decision to fund Sativex for eligible patients. If this applies to you, it may be worth talking to your healthcare professional about whether you're suitable for treatment.
Find your old CCG on the NHS' website
See how CCGs are matched with new ICSs on the NHS' website
It’s important to remember that Sativex doesn’t work for everyone. But when it does, the impact can be life changing. Our Sativex report explores this in more detail.
Download our Sativex report (2.7MB)
Take action
You can still help eligible people with MS access Sativex across the UK. Find out if Sativex is available in your area.
If it isn't, you can email your local health body, called an Integrated Care Board (ICB), to ask them to prescribe this potentially life-changing drug.
What about access to Sativex in other UK nations?
Wales
Sativex has been approved for use on the NHS in Wales since 2014. We’re still working with Health Boards to make sure services for people with MS are available as the NHS builds back from the impact of the pandemic. If you’d like to share with us your experience of trying to access Sativex, please email [email protected].
Northern Ireland
Sativex was approved for use in April 2021. Our monitoring suggests people with MS who meet the criteria are being offered the treatment after discussing with their consultant. If you're having any issues accessing Sativex, please let us know by emailing [email protected]
Scotland
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) announced on Monday 12 September that Sativex will be available to adult NHS patients who experience moderate to severe spasticity due to MS, where other treatments haven’t worked.
Before the announcement, Sativex was approved for use on the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not in Scotland. Although a limited number of people have been able to access it via the Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) Tier 2 individual patient treatment request process.
It may now be worth reopening conversations with your healthcare provider if you live in Scotland and have previously been denied access to Sativex.
Join our #ApprovedButDenied campaign
List of NHS England CCGs who've added Sativex to the list of medicines they routinely fund for eligible patients, since May 2021
- NHS Brighton and Hove CCG
- NHS Buckinghamshire CCG
- NHS Cheshire CCG
- NHS East Riding of Yorkshire CCG
- NHS East Sussex CCG
- NHS Frimley CCG
- NHS Hull CCG
- NHS Kent and Medway CCG
- NHS Lincolnshire CCG
- NHS Morecambe Bay CCG
- NHS North East Essex CCG
- NHS North East Lincolnshire CCG
- NHS North Lincolnshire CCG
- NHS Northamptonshire CCG
- NHS Oxfordshire CCG
- NHS Rotherham CCG
- NHS Sheffield CCG
- NHS Somerset CCG
- NHS Surrey Heartlands CCG
- NHS West Essex CCG
- NHS West Lancashire CCG
- NHS West Sussex CCG
NHS England CCGs who added Sativex to the list of medicines they routinely fund for eligible patients before May 2021
- NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes CCG
- NHS Blackburn with Darwen CCG
- NHS Blackpool CCG
- NHS Bury CCG
- NHS Chorley and South Ribble CCG
- NHS County Durham CCG
- NHS Derby and Derbyshire CCG
- NHS Devon CCG
- NHS Dorset CCG
- NHS East Lancashire CCG
- NHS Fylde and Wyre CCG
- NHS Gloucestershire CCG
- NHS Greater Preston CCG
- NHS Halton CCG
- NHS Herts Valleys CCG
- NHS Heywood, Middleton & Rochdale CCG
- NHS Ipswich and East Suffolk CCG
- NHS Kernow CCG
- NHS Knowsley CCG
- NHS Liverpool CCG
- NHS Manchester CCG
- NHS Newcastle Gateshead CCG
- NHS North Central London CCG
- NHS North Tyneside CCG
- NHS North West London CCG
- NHS North Yorkshire CCG
- NHS Northumberland CCG
- NHS Oldham CCG
- NHS Portsmouth CCG
- NHS Salford CCG
- NHS South East London CCG
- NHS South Sefton CCG
- NHS South Tyneside CCG
- NHS South West London CCG
- NHS Southport and Formby CCG
- NHS St Helens CCG
- NHS Stockport CCG
- NHS Sunderland CCG
- NHS Tameside and Glossop CCG
- NHS Tees Valley CCG
- NHS Trafford CCG
- NHS Vale of York CCG
- NHS Warrington CCG
- NHS West Suffolk CCG
- NHS Wigan Borough CCG
- NHS Wirral CCG
- NHS North Cumbria CCG
- NHS Bolton CCG
- NHS Hampshire, Southampton and the Isle of Wight CCG