Highlights from 1/24/2024 PA Medical Marijuana Advisory Board Meeting

-The Patient and Caregiver Subcommittee reported that cannabis syrup is now an approved consumption method in the PA Medical Marijuana Program and is already available in several dispensaries.

-Researchers from Organic Remedies and PCOM (an Academic Clinical Research Center as part of the PA Medical Marijuana Program) discussed their research work showing that their proprietary extraction process also serves to remediate cannabis plant material that was previously contaminated with bacteria and/or fungi. The Board did not take any action nor make any recommendation on the presented information.

-The Medical Review Subcommittee was in receipt of a (Chapter 20) research application from Penn State College of Medicine to add Mild to Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury to the list of Serious Medical Conditions for academic clinical research purposes only. The subcommittee recommended that the application be approved. A vote was taken and the motion was approved unanimously. Next the Subcommittee will need to submit an official report on the matter; approval of the report will then be voted on at a subsequent Board meeting.

-The Regulatory Review Subcommittee make a motion to add CRNPs (Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners) to the list of providers that may be approved to certify patients for the PA Medical Marijuana Program. A vote was taken and the motion was approved unanimously. A report was already written and was voted upon, with unanimous approval. The report will be published to the PA Bulletin and distributed to the governor, and the PA General Assembly. The Secretary of Health will have 12 months to decide whether or not to effectuate the recommendation.