SASKATOON, Nov. 5, 2013 /CNW/ - CanniMed Ltd., the first producer to have received a license under the new Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR), released their first shipment of medical marijuana to Canadian patients.
"Since receiving our license on September 19th, our team has been working tirelessly to ensure that patients receive their trusted medication as early as possible," said Brent Zettl, CEO, CanniMed Ltd. "Continuity of care is critical for patients and the transition to the new program has been a challenge for some. We are committed to providing our patients with a higher level of service than they previously received from Health Canada, with the medication that they are comfortable with after years of use."
CanniMed has also developed a new customer call centre to provide patients and physicians with support.
Why Medical Marijuana?
Within the human body, the endocannabinoid system influences a wide range of physiological processes, including immune function, inflammation, appetite, metabolism, cardiovascular function, digestion, pain, reproduction, memory, sleep, stress regulation and mood.
Medical marijuana, or cannabis, which acts on the endocannabinoid system, has the potential for broad therapeutic uses. Within the cannabis plant, the main active ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and is responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
In a published study involving patients suffering from post-traumatic or postsurgical neuropathic pain, a single inhalation of 25 mg of cannabis with 9.4 per cent THC, statistically reduced the intensity of pain, improved sleep and was well tolerated.i
Cannabis also contains other active ingredients, including cannabidiol or CBD. Pre-clinical studies suggest that CBD, which is not psychoactive, has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-nausea, anti-emetic and anti-psychotic effects.
As an example, researchers are beginning to study the use of high CBD cannabis on patients suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a condition that physicians find very challenging to treat with the current medical therapies available.
"Since every patient has a unique medical need, the largest benefit of the new MMPR program is that it allows licensed producers to offer healthcare professionals and their patients with more choices than through the previous system," added Mr. Zettl. "We are currently shipping CanniMed 12•0 (12.5% THC & less than 0.5% CBD) and CanniMed 17•1 (17% THC and 0.7% CBD). In early 2014 two additional products will be added, including a line with higher CBD, CanniMed 9•9 (9% THC and 9% CBD). Research into the discovery of new product lines is ongoing; we will continue to make new products available to patients and physicians."
About CanniMed
CanniMed Ltd. was the first producer to be licensed under the new Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations. Our pharmaceutical-grade marijuana is produced under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) regulations, the criteria used to manufacture all pharmaceuticals in Canada.
We are committed to standardizing care by taking a leadership role in closing the gap between the anecdotal benefit of medical marijuana and evidenced-based scientific research. Our goal is to provide improved access for Canadians who rely on medical marijuana through scientific collaborations with external partners including academic institutions and healthcare professionals.
Our primary focus is patient safety by strictly following a 281 point quality control process.
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i Ware, M. A., Wang, T., Shapiro, S., Robinson, A. and others. (2010) Smoked Cannabis for Chronic Pain: a Randomized Controlled Trial. Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). 182:E694-E701.
Image with caption: "CanniMed logo (CNW Group/Prairie Plant Systems Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20131105_C9990_PHOTO_EN_32929.jpg
SOURCE: Prairie Plant Systems Inc.
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