Medicinal cannabis not miracle epilepsy drug, says professor treating Victorian children

MEDICINAL cannabis is no better than conventional drugs for treating children with severe epilepsy, according to a top Victorian doctor.

After months of treatment none of the 29 Victorian children accessing $1 million worth of medicinal cannabis product has been seizure free. Generic picture

MEDICINAL cannabis is no better than conventional drugs for treating children with severe epilepsy, according to a top Victorian doctor.

After months of treatment, none of the 29 Victorian children accessing $1 million worth of medicinal cannabis product, imported from Canada, has been seizure free.

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Paediatric neurologist Professor Ingrid Scheffer told the Sunday Herald Sun medicinal cannabis had been effective in some of the cases by reducing fits among some of the group.

However, the results had been similar to outcomes achieved on other pharmaceutical drugs and it was not the miracle solution families were hoping for.

Families hear the news kids who need cannabis to help with chronic illness will gain access. Picture: Jason Edwards

“Initially we all had a sense of hope but that didn’t last but that is the nature of these diseases,” Prof Scheffer said.

“It looks like (cannabis) is as good as other drugs for children, but no better.

“It highlights that this is another drug that we can choose from, it is a valuable addition.

“But I don’t think it was the golden bullet.”

Prof Scheffer recommended further trials of medicinal cannabis to test different compounds, add that we “really we should be doing rigorous trials.”

It was also understood some families were hesitant to sign up to the trial, as it required giving up the use of illegal cannabis products already available on the black market.

Sadly at least one child died from her illness while undergoing treatment on the program, while others have experienced side effects including increased sedation and diarrhoea.

A top Victorian doctor says medicinal cannabis is no better than conventional drugs for treating children with severe epilepsy. Generic picture

In March, Premier Daniel Andrews announced emergency medicinal cannabis products had been flown in from Canada to begin treatment.

He has previously flagged up to 450 children could be eligible to receive the new drug but the government had not yet unveiled the next phase of the program.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the treatment was helping some children and was putting families at ease who were previously sourcing illegal products.

Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy with Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Kaitlyn Offer

“For some of these children, it’s making a big difference to their daily lives and the lives of their families,” she said.

“We know medicinal cannabis may be a life-changing treatment option for some, but childhood epilepsy is a complex disease, with symptoms which can vary dramatically from patient to patient — and, as with any medication, patient responses to this medicine also vary.”

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