Doctors want approval to use marijuana

[weedrocket]

on the front page of the melbourne herald sun today

 

Author:Peter Mickelburough

Date:January 15, 2010

Source:Herald Sun (melbourne)

Copyright:?

 

 

Link > doctors want approval to use marijuana to help treat victorians suffering multiple sclerosis

EXCLUSIVE: DOCTORS want approval to use marijuana to help treat Victorian patients suffering multiple sclerosis.

 

If successful it would be the first time permission has been given for the drug's legal use in prescription medicine in Australia.

 

The push to trial a liquid marijuana-based mouth spray to ease the symptoms and pain of MS sufferers is being led by a doctor from the Royal Melbourne Hospital's neurology department.

 

The doctor is expected to lodge a formal request with the hospital's ethics committee when it next meets.

 

He wants to be able to prescribe Sativex, a drug developed in the UK by GW Pharmaceuticals, a company established specifically to develop cannabis-based prescription medicines.

 

According to the company's website there is no evidence that patients obtain a high such as those experienced by marijuana smokers.

 

The most common side-effects of Sativex are sleepiness, nausea, and dizziness.

 

The drug is widely used in the UK, Canada and Spain, and is being tested in the US.

 

It is claimed Sativex helps alleviate pain and other debilitating symptoms associated with advanced MS, including tremors and loss of movement control and bladder control.

 

It is also being prescribed to cancer patients in some countries for pain relief and has been tested on patients suffering rheumatoid arthritis and neuropathic pain.

 

It is understood the doctor from the Royal Melbourne contacted Victoria's Health Department late last year seeking advice on making an application to use the drug to treat MS patients.

 

"The prescribing medical practitioner is currently going through the process of applying for approval from the hospital's Human Research Ethics Committee," she said.

 

"For approval to be given for the prescription of this medicine in this trial, both state and Commonwealth approval is required.

 

"However the state can give its approval prior to the drug receiving Commonwealth consent and TGA approval."

 

The process requires doctors to provide their qualifications as well as patients' details, including diagnosis and intended dosage of the medicine.

 

A Royal Melbourne Hospital spokesman said it would not be unexpected for a doctor to seek permission to use a drug that has been successful in other countries.

 

The Herald Sun can also reveal the Therapeutic Goods Administration recently approved four applications by a Victorian doctor to use the same drug to treat a rare neurological condition.

 

The "special access scheme" enables unregistered drugs to be used in very limited circumstances for a specific patient with their consent.

 

"There are no others applications current and Sativex is not registered in Australia," a TGA spokesman said.

 

MS Australia's Dr Bill Carroll said any drug that gave sufferers relief was worth a try.

 

"We are looking forward to the results of rigorous testing that must take place in order to determine whether this drug will be effective in helping people living with this disease," he said.

 

MS sufferer Robert Pask said he was encouraged by the possibility of any new drugs that could help manage his disease.

 

"I'll be waiting to see the results of the trials to determine whether this drug may help relieve pain, which is one of my most debilitating symptoms," he said.

 

Sativex uses cannabinoids and other pharmacologically active components taken from cannabis plants grown in secure glasshouses at a secret location in the UK.

 

The cannabis-based substances are classified as Schedule 9 under the Victorian drugs and poisons schedule.

 

By law, medical practitioners must apply to the secretary of the Health Department for a permit to administer them.

 

 

about time people stopped and got there heads out of the sand

Edited January 15, 2010 by weedrocket

[crank]

I saw this on sky news... im happy

[tfac]

Here is a link to a popular australian newspaper website, with the same story. ( released today 15/01/10)

 

I know a lot of the cannabis community use cannabis for medicinal purposes.

 

So I am suggesting that we all log onto that site and leave a positive comment for the critics to view, hopefully the numbers of replys will be taken into consideration as a huge positive prelude from the people.

 

Kudos to all who participate with the long battle of legalisation and

 

May peace be with those that have passed whilst suffering from a debilitating condition.

 

TFAC

 

 

 

Sorry here is the link

 

http://www.news.com.au/national/doctors-wa...r-1225819634616

 

TFAC

[daeman]

I was shocked to see this when i got up this morning. about bloody time though.

and supprisingly folks, it looks like the general public might finally be comming around.

i was on yahoo before, and took part in thier "should medicinal use of marrijuana be allowed" poll, to wich i though i'd be one of the 20 percent who think its an ok idea.

83% of nearly 5000 votes say yes, a big supprise, especially considering the closed minded kinda results u normaly see in thier polls and article feed back. while its only 5000 people, alot of ac nielsen polls are comprosed from less.

a good time for pro mj lobby groups to make some tactfull and sensible submissions.

 

as an added bit, any sensible person who has seen "the union" (a canadian doco about mj and the british colombia province), will have seen the practicle and substantial difference that it made to the life of just one sufferer of multiple slerosis. with the right attitude to cannibis as a medical substance it has great potential.

heres a link to the interview with greg cooper for those of you interested

 

[luciddreaming]

Wow. This shocked me too. Great news. Still a very small step. But if it get's approved for just MS after the trial, it can really only get better from there. I left a comment on the site too. I agree everyone should comment, shows them there is support. Comment on any news website that you can.

[Frazz]

more power to GW Pharmaceuticals, this may stand a real chance of becoming legal, particularly appealing to the Government cause they can at last tax and regulate the sale of a Cannabis derivative without giving any ground or credence to the recreational users ..

 

and if they succeed in their push to register Sativex as a scheduled medicine it will nullify all those bogus pesky recreational smokers / growers claims that they use Cannabis in its natural form as a medicine

 

[cybergenesis]

Am I the only person that noticed that the doctor said that there is no evidence people are getting stoned from it ... Of course they are, and of course that is part of the reason they like it, and why shouldn't they?

 

Its got THC in it, if its getting in the blood stream, they are going to get stoned!

 

But sure lets release some mass-marijuana product that you "can't get stoned on".

 

No this is IMPORTANT news... Its the first crack in the Australian ceiling against marijuana that I have seen in recent times... Did you guys read there is one patient in Australia already getting it, though a special one off arrangement.

 

What will happen?

 

They *might* let it in.. If they do, it will be with excessively strict regulation and almost impossible to get... Will be like getting opiates... However eventually it might expand as they find it helps lots of other things... Then they might discover that smoking a vaporizer of REAL weed is the best way to treat symptoms... Once start things become common medically, then they will get greedy and consider legalizing it, but only get to money.. Money will be their motive, once the moralist, deceptive mindset of the present dies down.

[wilderbud]

They can prescribe Sativex via GW Pharm - Im thinking about hitting my doc up to write a letter.

[luciddreaming]

Heh good luck with that mate. ATM you basically need to have one foot in the grave to get it as far as I can tell.

[resist]

good news!!

 

despite the fact that its hypocritical to allow a company to produce and sell a cannabis-based product while disallowing people to do the same.... if this goes thru, it gives us some very strong ammunition to fight the legalisation battle.