There is clinical evidence that cannabis assists in the treatment of many diseases such as: spastic disorders accompanied by pain (such as Multiple Sclerosis, spinal cord damage), nausea (as a result of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, Hepatitis C medication, and HIV/AIDS treatment), chronic pain (especially neuropathic), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome, Irritable Bowel diseases (Colitis and Crohn’s Disease), Glaucoma, rheumatic diseases, and inflammation. It also provides supportive care for HIV/AIDS and cancer patients, especially for appetite stimulation and weight loss prevention, and as a pain reliever.
Medical indications recognized by the Ministry of Health today are:
Oncology Field:
- Patients undergoing chemotherapy or those up to six months after treatment for nausea and pain relief related to their treatment.
- For pain relief for patients with metastatic cancers and after conventional treatment methods are exhausted.
Pain Field:
- For patients suffering from neuropathic pain from a clear organic source, after at least one year of treatment at a recognized pain clinic before requesting cannabis, after exhausting conventional treatment options, and with the recommendation of their pain clinic.
Gastroenterological Field:
- Crohn’s Disease- For patients that aren’t responding to conventional treatment options well enough.
- Colitis- In special cases, it will be given to patients with ulcerative colitis that aren’t responding to conventional treatment options.
Infectious Diseases:
- HIV/AIDS- Patients with Cahexia symptoms (defined as a >10% loss in body weight).
Neurological Field:
- Multiple Sclerosis- Patients suffering from spasticity that aren’t responding to conventional treatment options.
- Parkinson’s Disease- Patients undergoing anti-Parkinson’s treatment for at least one year and experiencing chronic pain or pain from stiffness, that aren’t responding to conventional treatment options.
- Tourette’s Syndrome- Adult patients suffering from severe symptoms that impede daily functioning and that aren’t responding to conventional treatment options.
- Epilepsy - Adult and pediatric patients with epilepsy, suffering from severe symptoms and that aren’t responding to at least five conventional treatment options.
Palliative Care Field:
- Terminally ill patients.
Psychiatric Field:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): – Adult patients that have been diagnosed with PTSD and meet the criteria for at least 21% disability by the Bituah Leumi (National Insurance Institute) (NII), that have been suffering from the disorder for at least two years and exhibiting extreme emotional distress. In addition, patients need to have tried three combinations of conventional medicinal interventions for at least two months each and three commonly accepted psychological interventions.
Counter-indication for treatment – active psychosis or first-degree family history of psychotic diseases.
New indications are being added regularly, see the Ministry of Health website for up-to-date information. A physician is entitled to petition the indications committee of the Ministry of Health to add a new indication to the list. Also, physicians may request individual exceptions for patients with diseases not currently in the list, but which the physician feels warrant cannabis for the patient.
