Bedrocan’s cannabis used in clinical trial Australia

The first of its kind in Australia, Bedrocan’s cannabis flos and placebo will be used in a cancer palliative care clinical trial. Led by Professor Meera Agar, the double-blind randomised controlled trial will explore whether vaporized medicinal cannabis flos can promote appetite and improve quality of life. For people with cancer, the pathways that promote appetite are disrupted. Their quality of life is reduced due to fatigue, low mood, nausea and insomnia – aspects critical to health and wellbeing.

Researchers are now recruiting patients. Approximately 30 adult patients with advanced cancer will be included in the trials undertaken at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Sacred Heart Health Service and Newcastle’s Calvary Mater Hospital. The results may lead to a further trial, enrolling up to 250 patients from metropolitan and regional hospitals across the state.

The New South Wales Minister for Medical Research, the Hon. Pru Goward, fully supports the trial as part of the state Government’s $21 million funding commitment to medicinal cannabis clinical trials and reforms. To learn about the NSW Government’s Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and Innovation and the trial see www.medicinalcannabis.nsw.gov.au.

For more on vaporization as a way of administering cannabis flos, read our article Not all vaporizers are the same.