Marijuana Is Having a Big Medical Moment
Photo by JOSHUA COLEMAN on Unsplash
The FDA approved an oral cannabis-based solution for children over age 2 suffering from epilepsy, CNN reports.
WHY IT MATTERS:
It's called Epidiolex. It's the first cannabidiol pharmaceutical in its category in the U.S. It's produced by GW Pharmaceuticals, a UK-based biopharmaceutical company.
WYNTK:
The drug treats two different types of epileptic syndromes, including Dravet syndrome, a rare genetic brain dysfunction hat begins in the first year of a child's life, and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, which is a form of epilepsy wit multiple type of seizures that start usually between ages 3 and 5.
WHAT TO DO:
Epidiolex will be available in the fall. Cost isn't clear yet—as insurance companies are discussing and plan to announce cost later.
The FDA move signals that cannabinoid medication is valid medicine, according to Justin Gover, chief executive officer of GW Pharmaceuticals.