- Oliver Smale, 11, was suffering up to 20 serious seizures a day before cannabis oil
- Since he began taking it, frequency and severity of his seizures have improved
- His mother Jen was told that Oliver could not take new drugs while taking the oil
Oliver his mother Jen Smale says, the frequency and severity of his fits have dropped sharply
A mother says she has been told by doctors to stop giving cannabis oil to her epileptic son – or they will be unable to prescribe new anti-epileptic drugs for him.
Oliver Smale, 11, was suffering up to 20 serious seizures a day until 18 months ago when he began receiving daily droplets of cannabis oil.
Since then, his mother Jen Smale says, the frequency and severity of his fits have dropped sharply.
Oliver had continued to take the anti-epileptic drugs prescribed by the NHS but they have become less effective as he builds up a tolerance to them.
After a rise in the number of fits suffered by Oliver during the night, Mrs Smale, 48, asked doctors at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool if there was another drug he could try.
She says medics replied they could not prescribe new medication while Oliver was taking cannabis oil because they could not be sure how the two would interact.
She accused the Government of putting doctors in an invidious position, saying: ‘Doctors’ hands are tied and I’ve been left with no alternative but to take Oliver off the cannabis oil.
She says medics at Alder Hey Hospital replied they could not prescribe new medication while Oliver was taking cannabis oil because they could not be sure how the two would interact
It is my duty as a mother to make sure he has the best quality of life and, in my opinion, cannabis oil gave him that.’
Alder Hey said it could not comment on individual cases.
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