Politicians have called on the Home Office to retract a letter it sent to a Northern Ireland GP "warning" against writing any more prescriptions for medicinal cannabis for a 12-year-old boy who suffers from severe epilepsy.
SDLP health spokesman, Mark H Durkan said he was "appalled" that the Home Office had reacted so "heavy-handedly to a very sensitive and high profile case".
The SDLP said the letter had been sent to a GP treating Billy Caldwell, from Castlederg in Co Tyrone.
The youngster suffers from intractable epilepsy and repeated seizures, with each potentially lethal.
Last year, he made history when he was prescribed oil containing CBD – an extract from cannabis – to help with his condition.
Sinn Féin MP Órfhlaith Begley said she would also be writing to the Home Office "asking for an explanation as to why they have ordered the cessation of prescriptions for Billy Caldwell’s medical cannabis."
