BBC Scotland has been accused of being “nasty-clever” by not making clear that the Scottish Government does not have the power to unilaterally approve a cannabis-based medicine for an eight-year-old boy who has hundreds of seizures a day.
The broadcaster featured a story on its website about Murray Gray, who suffers from Doose Syndrome – a complex type of epilepsy.
Karen, his mother, said Murray had initially responded to Epidyolex, one of only three cannabis-based medications approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
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However, this had caused serious side-effects and she had been paying up to £1300 a month for private prescriptions for Bedrolite, sourced from the Netherlands and his brother Dean, 13, had written to Nicola Sturgeon (below) to ask for help paying for it.
However, the First Minister responded to say medicine had to be proven to be safe before it was available on the NHS. The BBC said only Epidyolex can be prescribed by the NHS in Scotland, a point The National reader Gregg Brain picked up on.
“The BBC have been nasty-clever with this one,” he said.
“I have no problem admitting it: BBC journalism has some really talented writers. This one wrote an article about a Westminster decision, and its impacts on a sick child; all done in such a way as to have me believing it was Nicola Sturgeon’s fault.
“It was, as much as it pains me to admit it, a brilliant job.”
He said that critically, the story stated: “Since legalisation in 2018, only three medical cannabis products have been licensed by the UK-wide Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) … only Epidyolex can be prescribed by the NHS in Scotland.
“There the completely true, but oh-so-misleading bit, right there … You can just hear the Unionists screaming, ‘See? Those incompetents in NHS Scotland, teaming up with that Sturgeon woman, are denying this boy the free access to medicine he so desperately needs’. Hell, even I was troubled by it. Especially when you’re led along by the nose with that headline – ‘First minister rejects brother’s cannabis oil plea’.
“If the BBC were being honest about it they’d have said, ‘Only Epidyolex can be prescribed by the NHS – anywhere in the UK, Scotland or elsewhere’.”
Brain added: “This is because drugs policy is a reserved matter – one that the SNP Government has repeatedly asked to have devolved, often specifically citing cannabis-based medicines as one of the reasons.
“The FM didn’t approve the use of Bedrolite for poor wee Murray – because she can’t. Young Dean should actually be writing to Sajid Javid, our new Westminster Health Secretary.
“Of course, the BBC left out that one tiny detail, which actually lays this all at Westminster’s feet. The information is all there in the article – but you already have to know the BBC’s misleading angle to spot it.”
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BBC Scotland defended their coverage of the story, which a spokesperson said was reported fairly and accurately.
“The family wrote to the First Minister to ask for either help in funding or for her to influence the NHS to make it available,” they said.
“The story makes it clear that the UK regulator decides what drugs can be prescribed and it included a section from the First Minister’s response, explaining why she was unable to help with funding.
“Both the family’s position and the First Minister’s response were reported in detail.”
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