NewsUnited Kingdom
Dutch drug maker Bedrocan, which produces the medicinal cannabis product Bedrolite, was declared bankrupt in October 2026. UK families of children and young adults with severe epilepsy fear their supply could run out within months, according to the BBC.
Key points
- Bedrocan, the Dutch maker of Bedrolite, was declared bankrupt in October 2026.
- UK stocks are estimated at around six months, and the government says access is assured in the short term.
- An MP and two medical groups have urged ministers to secure supply.
The bankruptcy of Bedrocan has put the spotlight on medicinal cannabis in the UK. The BBC reports that families who rely on Bedrolite fear a gap in supply. For background on the company’s situation, see our report on the search for a Bedrocan buyer.
Why Bedrolite matters to families
Bedrolite is a specific cannabis formulation made by Bedrocan in the Netherlands and imported into the UK. Medicinal cannabis is allowed in the UK for severe, treatment-resistant cases such as severe epilepsy. Users say a different cannabis oil would not have the same effect.
Alfie and Louis: two patient stories
Alfie Deacon, now 15, has taken Bedrolite since 2018, after a campaign by his mother Hannah. She died suddenly in 2024, and her mother Maggie now carries on the cause. Before treatment, Alfie had 150 seizures a week. He has since been seizure-free for eight years.
Louis Matthews began having seizures in 2016, aged 12. He is now 23 and has been seizure-free for six years, the BBC says.
Families warn of a cliff edge
Maggie says Alfie would not be alive without the medicine. She says he spent three to five days a week in hospital before it. She also warns that restarting after a break sometimes fails, and that he could face heavy weekly steroids for only two or three days of respite.
Emma Matthews, Louis’s mother, describes a cliff-edge condition where stopping could be fatal. She says her son once tried to come off the oil and his seizures returned at once.
Supply depends on imports
According to the BBC, the UK holds an estimated six months of Bedrolite, and stocks could run out in a few months. Maggie notes there is no reliable UK source, so imports could stop overnight. Dutch authorities are reportedly blocking exports to keep supplies for their own citizens.
Government and MPs respond
Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi has written urgently to the health minister. She argues that securing supply will have a huge impact on patients’ quality of life, and she wants a similar product developed in the UK. The MedCan Families Foundation and the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society have also written to government.
The Department of Health and Social Care says access will stay assured in the short term for NHS and private patients. It says there is enough stock for the coming months. It is working with the UK supplier and the Dutch government to see if more stock can be released.
What remains unclear
The government has not said what happens once current stocks run out. Bedrocan says efforts are under way to restart the business, but success is not guaranteed. It is also unclear whether the Netherlands can free up extra stock.
Ce que ça change pour toi
If you follow the medicinal cannabis UK debate, this story shows how exposed prescription supply can be to a single foreign producer. It concerns patients on prescription, not the shop market. Nothing here changes how you shop, and this is not legal or medical advice.
If you are curious about legal hemp-derived products, you can browse our CBD flower collection. These are not medicines and are not a substitute for a prescribed treatment. Every Spliff product is lab-tested: THC content below 0.3% (0% for vapes and pods).
FAQ
What happened to Bedrocan?
Bedrocan, the Dutch maker of Bedrolite, was declared bankrupt in October 2026, according to the BBC. Efforts to restart the business are reportedly under way, but success is not guaranteed.
How long will UK Bedrolite supplies last?
The BBC puts the UK supply at about six months, though stocks could run out in a few months. The DHSC says there is enough stock for the coming months.
Is cannabis allowed for medicinal use in the UK?
Per the BBC, medicinal cannabis is allowed in the UK for severe, treatment-resistant cases such as severe epilepsy. The article does not cite the specific legal text.
Sources
- BBC — Medicinal cannabis supplies at risk as drug company goes bankrupt
- BBC on MSN — Medicinal cannabis supplies at risk as firm fails
