(410 ILCS 130/45)

Sec. 45. Addition of debilitating medical conditions.

(a) Any resident may petition the Department of Public Health to add debilitating conditions or treatments to the list of debilitating medical conditions listed in subsection (h) of Section 10. The Department shall approve or deny a petition within 180 days of its submission, and, upon approval, shall proceed to add that condition by rule in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. The approval or denial of any petition is a final decision of the Department, subject to judicial review. Jurisdiction and venue are vested in the Circuit Court.

(b) The Department shall accept petitions once annually for a one-month period determined by the Department. During the open period, the Department shall accept petitions from any resident requesting the addition of a new debilitating medical condition or disease to the list of approved debilitating medical conditions for which the use of cannabis has been shown to have a therapeutic or palliative effect. The Department shall provide public notice 30 days before the open period for accepting petitions, which shall describe the time period for submission, the required format of the submission, and the submission address.

(c) Each petition shall be limited to one proposed debilitating medical condition or disease.

(d) A petitioner shall file one original petition in the format provided by the Department and in the manner specified by the Department. For a petition to be processed and reviewed, the following information shall be included:

(1) The petition, prepared on forms provided by the Department, in the manner specified by the Department.

(2) A specific description of the medical condition or disease that is the subject of the petition. Each petition shall be limited to a single condition or disease. Information about the proposed condition or disease shall include:

(A) the extent to which the condition or disease itself or the treatments cause severe suffering, such as severe or chronic pain, severe nausea or vomiting, or otherwise severely impair a person's ability to conduct activities of daily living;

(B) information about why conventional medical therapies are not sufficient to alleviate the suffering caused by the disease or condition and its treatment;

(C) the proposed benefits from the medical use of cannabis specific to the medical condition or disease;

(D) evidence from the medical community and other experts supporting the use of medical cannabis to alleviate suffering caused by the condition, disease, or treatment;

(E) letters of support from physicians or other licensed health care providers knowledgeable about the condition or disease, including, if feasible, a letter from a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant with whom the petitioner has a bona fide health care professional-patient relationship;

(F) any additional medical, testimonial, or scientific documentation; and

(G) an electronic copy of all materials submitted.

(3) Upon receipt of a petition, the Department shall:

(A) determine whether the petition meets the standards for submission and, if so, shall accept the petition for further review; or

(B) determine whether the petition does not meet the standards for submission and, if so, shall deny the petition without further review.

(4) If the petition does not fulfill the standards for submission, the petition shall be considered deficient. The Department shall notify the petitioner, who may correct any deficiencies and resubmit the petition during the next open period.

(e) The petitioner may withdraw his or her petition by submitting a written statement to the Department indicating withdrawal.

(f) Upon review of accepted petitions, the Director shall render a final decision regarding the acceptance or denial of the proposed debilitating medical conditions or diseases.

(g) The Department shall convene a Medical Cannabis Advisory Board (Advisory Board) composed of 16 members, which shall include:

(1) one medical cannabis patient advocate or designated caregiver;

(2) one parent or designated caregiver of a person under the age of 18 who is a qualified medical cannabis patient;

(3) two registered nurses or nurse practitioners;

(4) three registered qualifying patients, including one veteran; and

(5) nine health care practitioners with current professional licensure in their field. The Advisory Board shall be composed of health care practitioners representing the following areas:

(A) neurology;

(B) pain management;

(C) medical oncology;

(D) psychiatry or mental health;

(E) infectious disease;

(F) family medicine;

(G) general primary care;

(H) medical ethics;

(I) pharmacy;

(J) pediatrics; or

(K) psychiatry or mental health for children or adolescents.

At least one appointed health care practitioner shall have direct experience related to the health care needs of veterans and at least one individual shall have pediatric experience.

(h) Members of the Advisory Board shall be appointed by the Governor.

(1) Members shall serve a term of 4 years or until a successor is appointed and qualified. If a vacancy occurs, the Governor shall appoint a replacement to complete the original term created by the vacancy.

(2) The Governor shall select a chairperson.

(3) Members may serve multiple terms.

(4) Members shall not have an affiliation with, serve on the board of, or have a business relationship with a registered cultivation center or a registered medical cannabis dispensary.

(5) Members shall disclose any real or apparent conflicts of interest that may have a direct bearing of the subject matter, such as relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or corporations whose products or services are related to the medical condition or disease to be reviewed.

(6) Members shall not be paid but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred while fulfilling the responsibilities of the Advisory Board.

(i) On June 30, 2016 (the effective date of Public Act 99-519), the terms of office of the members of the Advisory Board serving on that date shall terminate and the Board shall be reconstituted.

(j) The Advisory Board shall convene at the call of the Chair:

(1) to examine debilitating conditions or diseases that would benefit from the medical use of cannabis; and

(2) to review new medical and scientific evidence pertaining to currently approved conditions.

(k) The Advisory Board shall issue an annual report of its activities each year.

(l) The Advisory Board shall receive administrative support from the Department.

(Source: P.A. 100-201, eff. 8-18-17; 101-363, eff. 8-9-19.)