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Wolf Administration Releases Medical Marijuana Program Academic Clinical Research Center Applications for Medical Schools

09/06/2018

Harrisburg, PA – In an important step for medical marijuana research, the Wolf Administration today released applications for accredited medical schools to become Academic Clinical Research Centers (ACRCs).

“The ACRCs will be a vital part of medical marijuana research in Pennsylvania,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “ACRCs will ensure that the research being conducted protects patients and their privacy. The medical research component of Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Program will break new ground by providing for studies for the use of medical marijuana to treat patients with serious medical conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and individuals with opioid use disorder.”

The research program, guided by Act 43 of 2018, allows for eight ACRCs. Each must be an accredited medical school in the state that operates or partners with an acute care hospital that is licensed and operating in the state. Applications are available now on the Department of Health’s medical marijuana website and must be submitted before the Sept. 20 deadline.

More than 65,000 patients in Pennsylvania have registered to participate in the medical marijuana program, nearly 39,000 of whom have received their identification cards and are able to purchase medical marijuana at a dispensary. Approximately 1,200 physicians have registered for the program, nearly 800 of whom have been approved as practitioners.

The medical marijuana program was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf on April 17, 2016. Since that time, the department has:

  • Completed temporary regulations for growers/processors, dispensaries, physicians, patients, and laboratories, all of which have been published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin;
  • Issued Phase I permits to grower/processors and dispensaries;
  • Developed the Medical Marijuana Physician Workgroup;
  • Convened the Medical Marijuana Advisory Board;
  • Approved six training providers for physician continuing education;
  • Approved four laboratories to test this medication before it is delivered to patients;
  • Launched registries for patients and caregivers, as well as practitioners;
  • Registered more than 65,000 patients for the program;
  • Approved 31 dispensaries and 12 grower/processers to begin operations;
  • Continued to work with permittees to ensure they will be operational;
  • Accepted Phase II permit applications for dispensary applicants; and
  • Issued Phase II permits to grower/processors.

The medical marijuana program offers medical marijuana to patients who are residents of Pennsylvania and are under a practitioner’s care for the treatment of a serious medical condition as defined by the Medical Marijuana Law. 

For more information about the medical marijuana program, visit www.medicalmarijuana.pa.gov or follow the Department of Health on Facebook and Twitter.

 

MEDIA CONTACT:    Nate Wardle, 717-787-1783 or ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov

 

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