The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved the oral solution cannabis-based drug Epidiolex, which will be used to treat two forms of epilepsy in children.
While Epidiolex lacks the euphoria associated with marijuana use, it’s considered an option for patients who’ve failed to respond to other treatments to control seizures, according to U.S. health regulators.
“This approval serves as a reminder that advancing sound development programs that properly evaluate active ingredients contained in marijuana can lead to important medical therapies,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. “The FDA is committed to this kind of careful scientific research and drug development.
Gottlieb said Epidiolex, which will be available in the fall, is the “most appropriate way to bring marijuana-derived treatments to patients.”
