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Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Canada Approves Marijuana-Based Painkiller The Canadian federal health ministry has approved Sativex, a prescription painkiller that is derived from the cannabis sativa plant, commonly known as marijuana. This marks the first time that a national government has approved a drug based on marijuana. Sativex is specifically approved for treating neuropathic pain in individuals suffering from multiple sclerosis. Sativex was developed by GW Pharmaceuticals, a UK company, and will be marketed in Canada by Bayer HealthCare. The drug is not approved for use in the United Kingdom despite being developed there, but the UK's health service is expected to complete its review of Sativex by the end of the summer. Medical marijuana activists hailed the decision, expected to be the first marijuana-based product to reach legal markets. Marijuana is widely known to be useful in the control of pain in patients with diseases such as multiple sclerosis, but smoking the drug is illegal in most countries and also carries significant health risks. Sativex contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), two of the active ingredients in marijuana, but the dosage is insufficient to cause intoxication in users. GW Pharmaceuticals is working actively to develop new medicines based on marijuana's medicinal properties, and has created a Cannabinoid Research Institute to spearhead development of such drugs. Stock in GW Pharmaceuticals, the developers of the drug, was up 9.5% in active trading on the news of Sativex's regulatory approval. GW Pharmaceuticals spent approximately $100 million to develop Sativex. There are 50,000 residents of Canada who suffer from multiple sclerosis and sales are expected to be strong, as 86 percent of multiple sclerosis sufferers develop neuropathic pain. GW Pharmaceuticals is required to conduct additional trials of Sativex over the next five years as a condition of the regulatory approval. Sativex should be in Canadian pharmacies by the end of summer 2005. ----- Sources: NewRatings Cannabis News Sci-Tech Today Health Talk Better Humans GW Pharmaceuticals Robert Hayes blogs at Let's Try Freedom. Blogger News Network is advertiser-supported, and your visits to our advertisers help BNN to meet its expenses. Help keep us afloat! posted by BNN Archive at 3:33 PM |
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