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First FDA Approved Cannabis-based Drug Now Available by Prescription

posted by CoolHand on Thursday November 01 2018, @07:44PM   Printer-friendly
from the no-good-medical-use dept.

Submitted via IRC for chromas

First FDA approved cannabis-based drug now available by prescription

The first cannabis-derived medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration is now available by prescription in every state, according to its manufacturer.

Epidiolex, manufactured by GW Pharmaceuticals, is intended to treat seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy that begin in childhood. The drug is made of cannabidiol (CBD), a component of marijuana that doesn't give users a high.

"Because these patients have historically not responded well to available seizure medications, there has been a dire need for new therapies that aim to reduce the frequency and impact of seizures," Justin Gover, CEO of GW Pharmaceuticals, said in a statement.

From the DEA website:

Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Some examples of Schedule I drugs are: heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana (cannabis), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), methaqualone, and peyote

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 01 2018, @11:28PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 01 2018, @11:28PM (#756664)

    https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/cbd-oil-for-dog-seizures/ [soylentnews.org]:

    [Dr. Stephanie McGrath [colostate.edu]] explained, “The study is testing CBD on dogs with epilepsy in a controlled research setting. The dogs enrolled in the study are randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or the CBD oil for 12 weeks and then, after a 4-week washout period, receive the opposite drug for an additional 12 weeks. The researchers and the owners are blinded as to which drug is given in each half of the study.”

    Article is fairly recent, so I'm guessing the study isn't complete yet.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 01 2018, @11:49PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 01 2018, @11:49PM (#756672)

    Whoops. Try this link instead: The AKC Canine Health Foundation Investigates [akc.org].