24 December 2016
Ganjapreneur report
Canada’s Arthritis Society has awarded a three-year research grant to McGill University’s Dr. Mark Ware to explore the use of medical cannabis as a fibromyalgia treatment – making it the second round of medical cannabis research funded by the organization in the last 18 months.
According to Statistics Canada numbers from 2014, the chronic pain condition affects nearly 520,000 Canadians – of which about 347,500 are women.
Janet Yale, Arthritis Society CEO, said the investments “are about leading by example,” calling on federal lawmakers to add $25 million to the budget over the next five years to fund medical cannabis research.
“Patients and physicians both need to be able to make informed decisions about whether cannabis has a place in the individual’s treatment plan. With these commitments, The Arthritis Society is doing its part to help fill some of the critical knowledge gaps around medical cannabis, but we can’t do it alone,” Yale said in a press release. “There’s no reason for the government to wait until new legislation is in place to start addressing the need for research identified by their own task force.”
Full article https://www.ganjapreneur.com/arthritis-society-funds-mmj-for-fibromyalgia-study/
FULL PRESS RELEASE
December 19, 2016 11:19 ET
The Arthritis Society Funds More Medical Cannabis Research Amid Legalization Speculation
New clinical trial will study use of oral cannabinoids for fibromyalgia pain
TORONTO, ON–(Marketwired – December 19, 2016) – The Arthritis Society has announced the winner of its latest research grant for the study of medical cannabis and arthritis. McGill University’s Dr. Mark Ware, who has garnered a worldwide reputation as a leader in pain research, will lead a trial examining the use of oral cannabinoids for fibromyalgia — a disease that inflicts chronic pain on some 520,000 Canadians, most of them women1.
The study was selected from among several proposals submitted by Canadian researchers to receive the three-year grant, following an extensive peer review process by an impartial volunteer panel of cross-disciplinary medical and scientific experts as well as arthritis health consumers.
This is the second medical cannabis research project The Arthritis Society has funded in the past 18 months: in 2015, Dr. Jason McDougall was awarded a similar three-year grant to study the impact of medical cannabis on arthritis pain and disease management.
“These investments are about leading by example,” says Arthritis Society president and CEO Janet Yale. “Patients and physicians both need to be able to make informed decisions about whether cannabis has a place in the individual’s treatment plan. With these commitments, The Arthritis Society is doing its part to help fill some of the critical knowledge gaps around medical cannabis, but we can’t do it alone. There’s no reason for the government to wait until new legislation is in place to start addressing the need for research identified by their own task force. That’s why we continue to call on the federal government to make a firm commitment in the 2017 budget to fund $25 million in medical cannabis research over the next five years.”
Impact of fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system, delivering widespread pain throughout the body. Pain can vary in location and intensity on a daily or even hourly basis, and can come with a host of other symptoms such as fatigue, sleep difficulties, lack of concentration and memory, mood swings, gastrointestinal problems and heightened sensitivity to touch and pressure.
Many fibromyalgia patients have reported that cannabis has positive effects on pain and symptom management, but this has not yet been confirmed in large-scale clinical trials. This study will be used to help educate patients and health professionals regarding the possible risks and benefits of oral cannabis in fibromyalgia therapy.
“This disease has a tremendous impact on a person’s life,” Dr. Ware explains, “but to date we haven’t really had any good treatment options to offer. Opioids and NSAIDs for pain management are often ineffective for fibromyalgia pain, or can have serious negative side effects — especially when used for prolonged periods. We hope to identify whether oral cannabinoids can offer the person with fibromyalgia hope for relief from their symptoms, and help restore their quality of life. We are grateful for the support of The Arthritis Society for this important project.”
New regulatory framework
The announcement comes just days after the report of the federal task force on legalization and regulation of marijuana was made public. That report echoes the priorities expressed by The Arthritis Society and other patient advocacy groups about ensuring that the new regulatory regime addresses patient concerns, with a priority on access, affordability and the vital need for more research. Earlier this fall, The Arthritis Society led a joint submission to the task force by patient advocates, and followed it up by co-facilitating a meeting where task force members heard directly from patients who use medical cannabis. The government is expected to issue new legislation as early as Spring 2017.
Two thirds of people who use cannabis for medical purposes are doing so to help cope with the pain, fatigue and other symptoms of arthritis.
“In the rush to legalize cannabis for recreational use, we need to be careful that the needs of people who rely on cannabis for medical purposes aren’t forgotten,” says Yale. “We will be watching closely to ensure that the new regulations put patients’ needs first.”
ABOUT THE ARTHRITIS SOCIETY
The Arthritis Society has been setting lives in motion for over 65 years. Dedicated to a vision of living well while creating a future without arthritis, The Society is Canada’s principal health charity providing education, programs and support to the over 4.6 million Canadians living with arthritis. Since its founding in 1948, The Society has been the largest non‐government funder of arthritis research in Canada, investing over $195 million in projects that have led to breakthroughs in the diagnosis, treatment and care of people with arthritis. The Arthritis Society is accredited under Imagine Canada’s Standards Program. For more information and to make a donation, visit www.arthritis.ca.
1 Canadian Community Health Survey, Statistics Canada, 2014. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/150617/t002b-eng.htm
