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UK: GW Pharmaceuticals trials show cannabis relieves MS,
Ananova
Friday 06 Jul 2001 GW Pharmaceuticals PLC said recent clinical trials have revealed that cannabis-based drugs can significantly relieve the symptoms of diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. The company was responding to a paper, titled 'Are cannabinoids an effective and safe treatment option in the management of pain? A qualitative systematic review', to be published in tomorrow's issue of the British Medical Journal. The paper claims that there is scientific evidence to suggest that cannabis-based medicines are effective in treating neuropathic pain and spasticity, two of the principal symptoms of multiple sclerosis. GW said in the last 18 months it has carried out clinical trials in 75 patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, neuropathic pain, other intractable neurological conditions and rheumatoid arthritis. "Patients in these trials are clearly gaining benefit. We are seeing clinically significant improvements in a range of symptoms, including pain, muscle spasms, spasticity, bladder related symptoms, tremor and overall improvements in quality of life," it said. "In some cases the improvement has been sufficient to transform lives. These improvements are particularly notable in that they have occurred in a group of patients whose symptoms have been considered intractable in the face of all available standard therapy." GW said it agrees with the principal finding of the paper, that single dose THC should not be used in post-operative pain and is only as effective in treating this form of pain as codeine. The company pointed out that its lead products comprise whole plant extracts of cannabis incorporated in a sub lingual (under the tongue) spray and are quite distinct from the oral single tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products referred to in the BMJ paper. Furthermore, GW's research programme has never focused on post-operative pain as a target market and the company's business plan does not include it as a source of potential revenue, it added
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