Focus must be on needs of patients - Healthcare decisions

For patients with life-altering illnesses, and for those who love them, this has been a heartening and disheartening week, depending on the luck of the diagnosis draw.

Health Minister Simon Harris’s decision not to block an independent bill legalising medicinal cannabis as it begins its journey through the legislative process is an encouraging sign of patients being put before politics.

It is only the start of the journey. Separately, Mr Harris has asked the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) to report to him by the end of next month on how he might proceed with making medicinal cannabis available in a safe, effective, and controllable fashion, and it might discover unforeseen barriers that could complicate matters.