Healthy adults test medicinal cannabis soon to be used to treat our sickest kids

HEALTHY adults are Victoria’s guinea pugs and using Australia’s most pure version of medicinal cannabis for one very important reason, with the state government close to delivering the nation’s first pharmaceutical-grade medicinal cannabis product.

HEALTHY adults are using Australia’s most pure version of medicinal cannabis to ensure it is safe to treat our sickest kids from next year.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the Andrews government is on the verge of delivering the nation’s first pharmaceutical-grade medicinal cannabis product, with final tests using healthy adults to check there are no unintended side effects.

Since medicinal cannabis was legalised, 229 Victorians have been given access to forms of the drug to treat epilepsy, cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain and mental health problems.

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The Sunday Herald Sun can also reveal the government is bankrolling a $1.2 million clinical trial to investigate whether medicinal cannabis improves the quality of life of cancer patients who are unlikely to be cured.

The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute will run the trial with 100 patients next year, motivated by the singer’s championing of the drug as she once again battles breast cancer.

The Andrews Government is on the verge of delivering the nation’s first pharmaceutical-grade medicinal cannabis product.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy said Victoria’s move to legalise medicinal cannabis — the first state to do so — was a “life-changing development”.

“Now that access is legal, the government is taking action to give Victoria’s world-leading researchers the tools and resources they need to develop more of an understanding of medicinal cannabis’s benefits to sick Victorians,” Ms Hennessy said.

About 60 Victorian children with epilepsy are currently using an imported purified cannabis product, with more on waiting lists.

Danielle Charles said her son Chase went from having more than 15 seizures a day to fewer than six since he started using the drug.

“This has definitely been the best improvement we have ever seen in nine years,” she said.

The government’s pharmaceutical-grade product will be given to at least 30 children next year, with a consistent supply to be available once the study with healthy adults ensures it is non-toxic.

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The clinical trial with cancer patients is being run by Professor Jonathan Cebon, who said it would focus on whether medicinal cannabis reduced nausea, improved appetite and relieved pain.

He said this would establish an important evidence base that could make the drug — given as an oil — part of the “routine care” of advanced cancer patients.

Newton-John has spoken about how medicinal cannabis, from plants grown by her husband, had helped her relieve pain. Professor Cebon said she had been “very committed to seeing this research done”.

The trial could lead to further research to investigate whether medicinal cannabis helps shrink cancer tumours.

@tminear