US FDA Approves 1st Medical Marijuana Drug for Epilepsy

First cannabis made drug gets US FDA approval to treat epilepsy.

The first cannabis-based drug approved by the US FDA is now available in all states of the country.

Called Epidiolex, the oral solution is approved for use in patients above two years of age to treat 2 types of epileptic syndromes, a rare genetic type called Dravet syndrome that begins in the first year of birth, and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, that is usually spotted in kids aged 3 to 5, reports CNN.

Studies in the past have indicated that the active ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), work by blocking pain signals. CBD has protective and anti-inflammatory properties.

Though various studies were unclear about how marijuana controls seizures, they’d given hope to thousands of parents of children who suffer from epilepsy.

Epidiolex was cleared after thorough clinical trials. In a statement to CNN, the FDA chief Dr Scott Gottlieb said,

Adequate and well-controlled clinical studies supported Epidiolex’s approval, so prescribers can have confidence in the drug’s uniform strength and consistent delivery that support appropriate dosing needed for treating patients with these complex and serious epilepsy syndromes.

There is active research on to explore other medical benefits of medical marijuana, including in the field of chemotherapy, anxiety, PTSD, sleep disorders and chronic pain. You can read more about it in the below link:

Patanjali, India’s leading Ayurveda products maker, is experimenting with various formulations of the plant cannabis in its labs, according to this report here.

Cannabis in India falls under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and possession and consumption of the substance can lead to jail term.