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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Cannabis on prescription comes one step closer
John Innes The Scotsman
Wednesday 06 Nov 2002 CANNABIS-based medicines could be available on prescription by next year. GW Pharmaceuticals announced the preliminary results of Phase III clinical trials on a cannabis-based mouth spray. The trials, involving around 350 patients, showed that those taking the medicine had significant reductions in nerve damage pain, spasticity and sleep disturbance. GW Pharmaceuticals, which is based in Salisbury, said it intends to submit its first regulatory application to the Medicines Control Agency early next year. Subject to regulatory approval, this means the UK market launch of the first cannabis based medicine could be in 2003. Dr Geoffrey Guy, the executive chairman of GW, said the results represented a "major milestone". He added: "The performance of GW's medicine has exceeded our expectations and holds out the prospect of providing a significant advance in the treatment of these most challenging of medical conditions." A spokesman for the Multiple Sclerosis Society said: "These preliminary trial results appear very encouraging and we look forward to seeing the full results reviewed. "We hope we are moving much closer to the day when people with MS will have access to cannabis-derived drugs which have been proved both effective and safe in the treatment of symptoms. "In the meantime, we continue to argue that people should not be criminalised for using a drug which can alleviate often painful symptoms and have asked the police and authorities to deal with cases sympathetically." The Labour MP Paul Flynn, a long-time campaigner for liberalisation of cannabis laws, said: "This is an immense boost for the thousands currently suffering because of a lack of safe and effective pain-reducing treatment."
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