Doctors to trial pain relief with cannabis

[freddie]

Doctors to trial pain relief with cannabis

 

Simon Webster

May 18, 2008

 

EXCLUSIVE

Advertisement

 

DOCTORS will prescribe cannabis-based drugs to cancer, multiple sclerosis and AIDS patients in a planned NSW Government trial.

 

NSW Health Minister Reba Meagher will write to Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon in the next few weeks for permission to import and trial a drug expected to be Sativex, which delivers cannabis compounds through an oral spray.

 

"While the Iemma Government is opposed to the legalisation of marijuana, we do support a therapeutic trial of a cannabis-based drug," a spokeswoman for Ms Meagher said.

 

"We want the trial to start as soon as possible. However the support of the Rudd Government would be needed to get TGA [Therapeutic Goods Administration] approval of the drug for use in the trial. We're hopeful the Government will approve."

 

The Australian Medical Association welcomed the trial.

 

"We believe medicinal cannabis may be of benefit in HIV-related wasting and cancer-related wasting," said chairman of the association's public health committee Dr John Gullotta, adding that it might also relieve nausea and vomiting in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

 

The Cancer Council NSW welcomed the move.

 

Ms Meagher may also ask for approval for other cannabis-based drugs.

 

UK company GW Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Sativex, grows cannabis then extracts cannabinoids CBD and THC. "The formulation is believed to enhance the pain relief of THC while modulating the unwanted psychotropic and other THC-related side effects, such as tachycardia [rapid heartbeat]," the company says.

 

Pity its not the real thing but at least its some sort of acknowledgement that cannabis works for these symptoms.

 

edit: forgot the link

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/doctor...0765250875.html

Edited May 17, 2008 by freddie

[mull]

See that apple tree there, it's a special one. You are forbidden to take it's fruit.

 

However, you can buy some of my lovely apple juice..

[failure]

Ah, the hypocrisy. As long as the pharmaceutical companies and the government get their cut, it's legal!

 

Yet natural marijuana will remain formally accepted as having no medical benefit whatsoever, right?

[pipeman]

the problem is research costs money, a lot of money.

 

who has this type of money to spend? Only 2 groups of people have this money to spend. The first is polititions who will resist law reform until their hand is forced, because of the political problems it causes them. The 2nd are pharma companies who stand to make a profit from processed products.

 

So the only people who are researching this plant are people who want to stop us from using it.

 

It would be one thing if these pharam products were cheap, but in fact they are ridiculously expensive, and unless subsidised are simply not affordable to the majority of people who might need them.

[WantDaChronic]

what a shame they didnt include severe pain otherwise i would have tried to get it...i imagine a drop or 2 on a cone would go down quite nicely

[Oz]

Pity it still just isn't the same either https://cannabis.community.forums.ozstoners...&hl=sativex but a year later you would think they have improved it

 

Like niall said in the above posted link... wish I bought shares back then bet they have just jumped

[Guest niall]

But it's a good, constructive first step. The use of Sativex will prove that cannabis can be used as medicine, that it can be used safely, and it will move this debate into the next stage where we the public can move past misinformation and start asking the difficult questions - why is Sativex so expensive, how does it compare to vapourised whole-plant cannabis, if some cannabis medicines are considered safe and effective - why are others not, what is the actual difference and how else can whole-plant cannabis be used to achieve the same outcome as plant derived medicines such as Sativex?

 

This is great news, one of the first nails in the coffin of medical cannabis prohibition in Australia. Solid progress imho.

[Guest niall]

Like niall said in the above posted link... wish I bought shares back then bet they have just jumped

 

Buy now, they're holding steady at about 50p after falling earlier this year from a high of about 95-100p. I bought in a short time ago at about 52p - this is the perfect opportunity to get into this market. Good company, probably the world leader in terms of marketable products and distribution deals.

 

They had some unexpected bad results earlier this year on pain trials, but really all the action is not in pain management (at least not with the Sativex 50:50 mix, they have other products on the way with more of an 80:20 mix) - results are coming later this year for their other trials - I think they were MS/Parkinson's, anti-spasmodic etc. This is where the first major wins will be - muscular/neural degenerative diseases, then onto regulatory disorders (sleep, eating, mood, digestive) and debilitating things like Chron's, Parkinson's, appetite related problems with Cancer and Chemo, HIV/AIDS etc.

 

Good long term pick for your portfolio, I expect GWP to hit 8-10 pounds in a decade or so. Also watch Cannasat on the Toronto exchange - similar strategy but they've lost some key staff from our community over the years. They now own a controlling interest in PPS who holds the Canadian license on domestic production for Hellth Canada's medicinal access program, but hopefully Island Harvest will get into the market and go public soon...

[pipeman]

But it's a good, constructive first step. The use of Sativex will prove that cannabis can be used as medicine, that it can be used safely, and it will move this debate into the next stage where we the public can move past misinformation and start asking the difficult questions - why is Sativex so expensive, how does it compare to vapourised whole-plant cannabis, if some cannabis medicines are considered safe and effective - why are others not, what is the actual difference and how else can whole-plant cannabis be used to achieve the same outcome as plant derived medicines such as Sativex?

 

This is great news, one of the first nails in the coffin of medical cannabis prohibition in Australia. Solid progress imho.

 

I think this is just another step in taking control away from people and putting it in the hands of governments and the corporations that they are in bed with. Although your faith in the human race to question and change is admirable, I don't see products like this sparking any kind of debate regarding law reform. For evidence of this look at the myriad of social injustices that exist, and the hordes of people who are not only unwilling to take action, they simply don't care.

 

I think its much more likely governments will use the availability of canna pharma products to further dismiss the claims of medical users who are screaming for the right to grow their own, and they will be backed up by the dollars and propaganda of the drug companies who stand to make millions if not billions.

 

How much money do you think these multi national companies have invested in developing these products and getting them approved? I don't think they are going to let all that lead into law reform which will more easily allow users to grow and smoke their own.

 

I hope I'm wrong, but to me its fairly clear this is just another tool used by big business to strip dollars from the working man, when there is absolutely no need for it, other than pure greed.

[Oz]

Your right I have no doubt the legal pharmaceutical drug "cartels" are only trying to take full control of it... It's probably best not to buy in really as your only going to help them get the control they want over something that should be free for everyone to grow as every plant is supposed to be