France Ends the Medical Cannabis Deadlock by filing a Reimbursement Decree for Legal Review

The final hurdle to the implementation of France’s new generalised medical marijuana framework is now just a few steps away. A decree on the reimbursement for cannabis medicine has already been sent to France’s top administrative court. 

It was two weeks ago. MEDCAN24 According to reports, the French health minister confirmed that regulatory documents that had been delayed and needed for medical cannabis generalisation will be published by July. 

As per Newsweed, the Minister Delegate for Relations with Parliament confirmed this week that the text had received approval from the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, and the decree was submitted to the Conseil d’État on 2 July.

Now, the Conseil d’État must complete its legal review, the final step before it is published in the Journal Officiel, and becomes law. 

The government plans to publish the review at the beginning of the fall parliamentary session, which begins on October 1.

Why is it important to have a decree?

The entire French reimbursement process will not be able to move forward without this decree. The Haute Autorité de Santé’s (HAS) Transparency Commission, the body that formally decides which medicines qualify for national health coverage, is legally unable to open evaluation sessions until the procedural framework established by this decree has been published. 

HAS’s methodology was published in July 2025. In March 2025 the Minister of Health assigned HAS to assess cannabis medicine. It had already received the dossiers of manufacturers by this quarter and finished its preparatory analyses. Although the committee had completed its work, the assessments were delayed because of the lack of a decree.

Text defining how Transparency Commission assesses manufacturers, evidence considered by the Commission, timelines for deliberations, etc. The text does not set its own reimbursement rates. They are determined by the HAS, who then triggers the price negotiation with the State. This decree, therefore, is the beginning of the process rather than its end. 

Five indications are covered, the same ones that were determined in the pilot test in 2021: refractory neuropathy pain, refractory seizures in children and adults, painful spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis, or any other condition of the nervous system; oncology related refractory symptoms and advanced palliative treatment.

Before cannabis medicine can be prescribed, patients need to have tried all alternatives.

The likely content of the Decree

Although the final text won’t be made public until February, the publication date is still a few months away. MEDCAN24 The first detailed view of the economic model proposed by the government was presented at the Cannabis Europa Paris conference, which included a draft framework that had been given to the industry participants.

The draft at that time proposed a tiered payment structure based on HAS’s evaluation of the therapeutic benefits for each product. Coverage rates were set to 65%, 30 %, 10 %, and 0% respectively, which corresponded to a major, moderate or minor benefit. 

ALD is available to patients with long-term diseases.affection de longue duréeIn France, cannabis-based medicines are covered at 100% regardless of your base reimbursement level. However, this question wasn’t finalized at that time.

Under the new model, pricing would be based on homogeneous products categories. These groups of medicines are grouped by their composition, form and clinical characteristics. Each category will have a fixed price for three-years, that can then be revised if clinical data changes.

It is not known if the final version reflects these proposals exactly. After the meeting in February, the draft was subjected to a three-to-four week consultation with stakeholders. The government will then have taken into account the feedback received before submitting the text. 

The Conseil d’État may also request modifications during its own review. Although the published decree may have different details, it will not contradict the February economic structure.

HAS’s reimbursement opinion could be delivered before the end of the year if the review is completed over the summer, and the decret is released at the opening of the parliament on the 1st October. Price negotiations will follow, and it is possible that the first prescriptions in a permanent structure can begin as early as 2027. Around 700 of the patients enrolled in this pilot will be covered up until the end of 2026. This is the first extension in 5 years that looks like they might not have to extend it again.

France is tantalisingly near to completing its new medical cannabis framework, after the remaining decree regarding the reimbursement of marijuana medicines was submitted to France’s highest administrative tribunal. 

It was two weeks ago. MEDCAN24 The French minister of health confirmed in a report that the regulatory texts that have been delayed to allow for generalisation of medical marijuana will be published this July. 

As per Newsweed, the Minister Delegate for Relations with Parliament confirmed this week that the text had received approval from the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, and the decree was submitted to the Conseil d’État on 2 July.

Now, the Conseil d’État must complete its legal review, the final step before it is published in the Journal Officiel, and becomes law. 

The government aims to release the report at the start of the new autumn session in parliament on the 1st October.

Why is it important to have a decree?

The entire French reimbursement process will not be able to move forward without this decree. The Haute Autorité de Santé’s (HAS) Transparency Commission, the body that formally decides which medicines qualify for national health coverage, is legally unable to open evaluation sessions until the procedural framework established by this decree has been published. 

HAS’s methodology was published in July 2025. In March 2025 the Minister of Health assigned HAS to assess cannabis medicine. It had already received the dossiers of manufacturers by this quarter and finished its preparatory analyses. It was ready to evaluate, but there was no decree.

Text defining how Transparency Commission assesses manufacturers, evidence considered by the Commission, timelines for deliberations, etc. The text does not set its own reimbursement rates. They are determined by the HAS, who then triggers the price negotiation with the State. This decree, therefore, is more of a starting point than a finish. 

Indications covered are the same as those in the 2021 pilot study, including neuropathic pain refractory, epilepsy refractory in children and adults, spasticity due to multiple sclerosis, or any other condition affecting the central nervous system, cancer-related symptoms refractory, and palliative advanced care.

Before cannabis medicine can be prescribed, patients need to have tried all alternatives.

The likely content of the Decree

Although the final text won’t be made public until February, the publication date is still a few months away. MEDCAN24 Detail the proposed framework for the economy that was first presented by the Government to stakeholders in the cannabis industry at Cannabis Europe Paris.

A draft was then proposed that a tier-based reimbursement structure would be tied to HAS assessment of therapeutic benefit for each drug, with rates at 65%, 30%, 10%, or 0% corresponding to major, moderate, minor, or inadequate benefit. 

ALD is available to patients with long-term diseases.affection de longue duréeIn France, cannabis-based medicines are covered at 100% regardless of your base reimbursement level. However, this question wasn’t finalized at that time.

Under the new model, pricing would be based upon homogeneous products categories. These groups of medicines are grouped by their composition, form and clinical characteristics. Each category will have a fixed price for three-years, that can then be reviewed if clinical data changes.

It is not known if the final version reflects these proposals exactly. After the meeting in February, the draft was subjected to a three-to-four week consultation with stakeholders. The government will then have taken into account the feedback received before submitting the text. 

The Conseil d’État may also request modifications during its own review. Although the published decree may have different details, it will not contradict the February economic structure.

HAS may be able to deliver its opinion on reimbursement before the end the year, and price negotiations could follow. The first prescriptions within a permanent framework are possible as soon as 2027. About 700 patients are covered by the pilot until the end of 2026. For the first time since 2005, it looks as if this deadline will not have to be further extended.

Cannabis Law Resources in Poland

Discover essential legal information about the cultivation of cannabis, its sale, and regulations governing medical products in Poland. You can use these resources to learn about the requirements for certification, permissions and compliance.

• 
  Polish News Registration and Interests of Cannabis Businesses
  
• 
  Permissions for Cannabis Sales in Poland
  
• 
  Authorization for Importing or Manufacturing Medical Products
  
• 
  Permission for Manufacturing or Importing Medical Products
  
• 
  Certificate of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
  
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  Registration of Medical Products in Poland