Submitted by Marijuana News on Wed, 06/07/2017 – 08:25
CURE Pharmaceutical, a technologically-based drug delivery platform and its partner, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology will be conducting a clinical study to test whether cannabinoid compounds will reduce or eliminate cancerous cells.
Can cannabis really make cancer disappear?
Cannabis as a cancer treatment not only for it symptoms but as a possible cure has been hotly debated and researched for some time.
Federally, the government does accept that cancer-related side effects such as decreased appetite, nausea and pain relief can be treated with cannabis, but as for cancer itself, patients and those in the medical field have only been able to anecdotally link cannabis to the destruction of cancerous cells and tumors.
CURE Pharmaceutical is researching this link head on, in its first ever clinical study of this nature. Brian Higuera, the father of a 4-year-old liver cancer patient says there’s a strong possibility after he witnessed the shrinking of his daughter’s liver tumors, along with one that fully disappeared; all after being administered CBD oil.
The tumors are believed to have been removed due to her cannabis use in which [a brand of] CBD (called Real Scientific Hemp Oil) was a major portion of the cannabinoids in her oil along with THC and CBN.
[But] without a study to prove the cannabis oil is what cause the tumors to disappear, many say she is an anecdotal testimony.
CURE’s CEO, Rob Davidson looks to move beyond the anecdotal stage and provide solid proof to back up cases like Sadie’s. His goal is to prove the efficacy of cannabis with hard science behind it.
There is strong anecdotal evidence, but we want to put some science into it. First, we’ll do an in vitro study and see the effects on cancer cells. We can get into human trials pretty quickly in Israel.
Getting doctors onboard
Much of the reason that cannabis is kept from many patients is due to its federally illegal status. For this reason, not only is cannabis testing for cancer treatment sparsely conducted, but many physicians are left unable to prescribe cannabis legally.
Former Chief Resident at Los Angeles Children’s Hospital, Bonnie Goldstein says that studies like the one conducted by CURE can be highly beneficial in helping doctors prescribe cannabis to patients.
I currently take care of many patients, both adults and children, that have life-threatening advanced cancers and so far, I have been unable to match cannabis treatment to the patient’s specific cancer sub-type.
Initial studies show that different cancers respond to the anti-neoplastic effects of different cannabinoids. This research will answer this question and will allow physicians like myself to tailor treatment for cancer patients.
The study comes on the heels of CUREs announcement that the company will be entering the pharmaceutical cannabis sector. If so, many more studies that prove cannabis’ effects as a cure could be on the horizon and can appeal to many more in the medical profession who wish for more options to successfully treat patients.
