A marijuana-based medicine has been approved by the FDA for treatment of seizures in children. The drug, Epidiolex, is derived from the substance known as marijuana, but is not psychoactive. The British cannabis sativa seeds drugmaker has studied more than 500 patients who suffer from seizures to show that it can reduce the severity of their condition. In a clinical trial, the drug reduced the number of seizures by 40%.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Epidiolex, a medication containing a purified form of cannabis called cannabidiol. The drug has been tested in three randomized placebo-controlled trials involving more than 500 patients. In addition to being a safer version of marijuana, Epidiolex has shown that it reduces the frequency of seizures in some patients with Dravet syndrome.
The drug is not the only marijuana-based medicine on the market. Axim Biotechnologies is developing a chewing gum delivery method, KannaLife Sciences is researching the effects of oxidative and neurotoxic stress, CURE Pharmaceuticals is pursuing research on cannabinoids for sleep disorders, and Columbia Care is developing a nasal marijuana-based medicine. However, it is still not widely available in the United States.
Although the FDA approved Epidiolex after years of clinical development, there are still several unregulated products on the market. The FDA has warned companies to not market unapproved products, even though they are derived from marijuana. It is also not wise to promote products containing CBD unless they have been regulated by the FDA. But GW Pharmaceuticals is pushing ahead with the development of a marijuana-based medicine for seizures.
In addition to the medical benefits of marijuana, it also contains CBD, a non-psychoactive substance. However, due to federal regulations and restrictions on cannabidiol, research on cannabidiol has been limited. In addition, limited access to the substance and time has made it difficult for pharmaceutical companies to study its effects. However, studies on specific cannabis-based products have shown positive results.
The FDA had previously warned marijuana-based pharmaceutical companies against making specific claims about the drug’s ability to treat a disease. However, CBD companies still make general health claims, including the prevention marijuana blog of seizures. The drug’s side effects, such as a decrease in appetite, may not be worth the cost of clinical trials. In addition, Epidiolex is a Schedule I drug, and has the potential to be abused by consumers.