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Questions Raised Over Efficacy of Cannabis-based Painkiller in Treating Multiple Sclerosis
April 10, 2008 at 2:15 PM
Drug News
The mouth spray, containing THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, is being used as a painkiller by around 1,400 MS sufferers in Britain.
Sativex makers, Wiltshire-based GW Pharmaceuticals, are hoping to market it to ease the muscle spasms associated with MS and the pain of cancer.
However, its worth has been thrown into doubt by a test involving more than 300 MS patients.
While half of those taking Sativex found their pain was reduced by at least 30 per cent, those using a dummy spray fared almost as well.
GW said the result could be explained by an "unexpectedly strong placebo response" - in which symptoms are eased by the simple belief that a treatment will work.
The news sent the company's shares plummeting by as much as 31 per cent. GW, however, remains adamant there was a place for Sativex on the pharmacist's shelf.
Managing director Justin Gover said there was a ' desperate need' for new pain treatments and the drug had a "real role" to play.
The treatment, which is sprayed under the tongue four or five times a day, first went on the market in Canada in 2005.
Britain's drug regulators have yet to deem it safe and effective. However, doctors can prescribe it on a 'named patient' basis, which means they take personal responsibility for giving the drug.
A typical daily treatment of five sprays costs around Ł4.
GW grows 40,000 cannabis plants a year at a secret location in the English countryside.
Source-Medindia
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