FDA approves first prescription drug made from marijuana
“I don’t know a mom or dad in their right mind who is going to change what’s already working,” said Heather Jackson, CEO of Realm of Caring, a charitable group affiliated with Colorado-based CW Hemp, one of nation’s largest CBD companies. “I really don’t think it’s going to affect us much.” Jackson’s group estimates the typical family using CBD to treat childhood epilepsy spends about $1,800 per year on the substance. A GW Pharmaceuticals spokeswoman said the company would not immediately announce a price for the drug, which it expects to launch in the fall. Wall Street analysts have previously predicted it could cost $25,000 per year, with annual sales eventually reaching $1 billion …
For their part, GW Pharmaceuticals executives say they are not trying to disrupt products already on the market. [However], the company has pushed legislation in several states to make sure its drug can be legally sold and prescribed … And the company plans to continue importing the medicine, bypassing … U.S. regulations on manufacturing restricted substances … FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb suggested the agency would be scrutinizing CBD products with “uncertain dosages and formulations.” “We are prepared to take action when we see the illegal marketing of CBD-containing products with serious, unproven medical claims,” Gottlieb said in a statement. The FDA previously issued warnings to CBD producers that claimed their products could treat specific diseases, such as cancer or Alzheimer’s. Only products that have received formal FDA approval can make such claims, typically requiring clinical trials costing millions.
Original Article (Redlands Daily Facts):
FDA approves first prescription drug made from marijuana
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