Yes, you read that correctly! A new treatment for chronic cancer related pain may soon be on the market which is a derivative of marijuana.
Sativex®, which has not yet been approved in the United States, is a medication developed by GW, a British pharmaceutical company, with cannabis as one of its active ingredients. Delivered in an oral spray, this medication is currently being administered in Canada and Europe to treat multiple sclerosis associated spasticity. It is currently in phase III clinical trials for the treatment of cancer related pain in the United States.
Could sativex® be helpful for other types of pain?
Possibly, there are also studies evaluating the efficacy of sativex® in other types of chronic pain related conditions such as neuropathic pain.
Bottomline: This medication has not yet been approved. Stay tuned for further updates on a potentially new treatment for chronic pain.
Literature Cited
"Cancer Pain." GWPharma -. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2015. <http://www.gwpharm.com/cancer-pain.aspx>.
"No Relief Yet for Brutal Oral Cancer Pain, but Cannabinoids May Offer Some Hope." Http://americanpainsociety.org/about-us/press-room/oral-cancer-cannabinoids. American Pain Society, n.d. Web. <http://americanpainsociety.org/about-us/press-room/oral-cancer-cannabinoids>.
Serpell, M., S. Ratcliffe, J. Hovorka, M. Schofield, L. Taylor, L. Lauder, and E. Ehler. "A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Parallel Group Study of THC/CBD Spray in Peripheral Neuropathic Pain Treatment." European Journal of Pain 18.7 (2014): 99-1012. 13 Jan. 2014. Web. 14 Dec. 2015. <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.1532-2149.2013.00445.x/abstract>.