Drug approval could boost research on marijuana treatment for autism

Drug approval could boost research on marijuana treatment for autism

Published on 8/12/18

Earlier this year when the FDA approved CBD as a viable treatment for certain forms of epilepsy, it not only created hope for patients with those types of epilepsy but it also opened many doors for researchers to continue to study cannabis and potentially treat dozens of other illnesses. By acknowledging that CBD has medical value we proved that cannabis has at least some medical value and therefore should not be a Schedule 1 narcotic next to Heroin and LSD. With this major shift officials at the DEA have until September 23 to decide the new classification for cannabis. A change in scheduling will mean many more studies including some for autism that are already in the works. 6 states in the U.S. currently allow medical marijuana as treatment for autism but many patients and guardians of patients have been using CBD to treat certain types of autism with some success. One new study will help determin which cannabis compound is most effective for treating autism and at what dosage.

“The approval of Epidiolex has changed the regulatory landscape for cannabinoid products,” says Orrin Devinsky, who led some of the clinical trials on Epidiolex. “This will make future trials much easier and less expensive.” Devinsky is working on two other trials for autism.

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