Medicinal Cannabis under GACP and GMP – A look into the future is worth a thought

von Jessica Grote

When thinking about cultivating medicinal cannabis, most people see the easy money that seems to be within one’s reach. New facilities are built up that are designed to support optimal plant growth. People think about the correct water, light and air supply, but what stays a side effect is to design their facility according to GMP and GACP requirements.

Another very important point often not taken into account is a look into the future. How will the facility look like in 4 to 5 years? Will the facility still comply with GMP and GACP standards, if the cultivator gets a growth permission in the first run?

Open racks with many angels and struts, or corrugated sheets to put the plants on, as well as curtains inside the production facility could lead to major contamination problems in the future. For plant growth you need water as well as a certain humidity in the air. A perfect environment for microorganisms to grow. At least there are possibilities to avoid microbial contamination even in these environments.

But what to do when your facility is already contaminated by microorganisms?

How do you get rid of the contamination?

If there is a fungal contamination, like e.g. mold, it won’t be easy to clean the whole facility and all equipment from the spread spores with a facility design that contains the above mentioned equipment. In a worst case the design will even strengthen microbial growth as well as carryover of contaminations. At least no investor wants to throw away the whole equipment of a production facility due to a contamination.

The better way for avoiding contamination issues is to include cleaning and contamination scenarios into the facility design, like requested by GMP guidelines. And while doing this, thinking smart.