FDA Moves Forward With Marijuana-Based Drug To Fight Childhood Epilepsy
The Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation for a cannabis-based drug developed to treat childhood-onset epilepsy, GW Pharmaceuticals announced last week. Although not full FDA approval — its maker still must demonstrate the efficacy of the drug in clinical trials — the orphan drug designation represents a tremendous step forward for cannabis-based medicine. The drug, called Epidiolex, contains a highly purified, plant-derived form of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound found in marijuana that doesn’t produce the “high” sensation [...]