The FSA has asked 40 CBD manufacturers to present enough toxicology data to avoid their items from getting taken off the shelves. Those are the companies that submitted Novel Food applications with data from studies on Epidiolex as supporting evidence of CBD’s safety instead of their toxicology studies.
Some of those CBD producers have used reviews of research as a basis for supporting their applications with safety cases. As per the FSA’s Paul Tossell, those do not work as enough pieces of evidence on CBD’s safety. Therefore, the FSA has asked the applicants to supplement their applications with supporting information by the end of February this year.
The FSA Needs Food Safety Evidence, Not Medical Evidence
As for Tossell, there is a lack of data to demonstrate that cannabidiol in food is safe. Earlier studies have demonstrated that the advantages of therapeutic CBD quantities outweigh their risks at its exposure levels.
The latest development in the Novel Food approval saga comes when CBD companies prepare for the FSA to publish its compilation of CBD items allowed for sale.
For around 2 years, the Food Standards Agency has been assessing how safe CBD products are, under the nation’s Novel Food requirements. The assessment applied to any cannabidiol item made for oral consumption that was traded in the nation by February 13, 2020.
It is thought that the FSA has got hundreds of Novel Food applications. However, the list will contain a higher number of cannabidiol products as some companies have hundreds of those items.
The pandemic has hampered the FSA’s evaluation process and is likely to further delay the issuing of the cannabidiol product list until the resolution of this issue.
Producers In Jeopardy
There are high stakes for the companies that got the Food Standards Agency’s ultimatum. The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry said that much confusion has been present in the cannabis community over the last few days.
ACI Founder Steve Moore said that some businesses would need to make difficult calls to keep their products on the shelves. Moore also stated that joining a consortium is the only possible option for some businesses.
Not A Sudden Ultimatum
It perhaps appears to be tough FSA action, but the UK agency has reiterated the requirement for businesses to perform their cannabidiol toxicology studies. Last November, it updated guidance for the companies that would submit their first Novel Food applications.