FDA Approved CBD Products

What are some FDA Approved CBD Products?

As of February 2020, aside from Epidiolex, a prescription treatment for seizure disorders, including epilepsy, there are no other FDA Approved medical items that contain CBD.

Epidiolex (cannabidiol)

In 2018 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Epidiolex which is cannabidiol (CBD]) derived from the cannabis plant. It is the first – and thus far only – FDA-approved drug containing a purified marijuana derivative.

It is an oral solution and was approved in patients above 2 years old for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy, (Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome). The observation that CBD administration reduced or eliminated seizures in certain individuals was investigated and finally a pure CBD product was approved.

Additionally Epidiolex was also the first FDA approved drug for the treatment of patients with Dravet syndrome. As such there may be other conditions in the future – which upon investigation – the FDA may consider other cannabinoids for other conditions. Areas of research include pain and anxiety.

“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. And, the FDA is committed to this kind of careful scientific research and drug development,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D.

Epidiolex’s effectiveness was confirmed in three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials which involved 516 patients with either Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome. Epidiolex, taken alongside other medications was found to be more affective at reducing the severity and frequency of the seizures.

Sativex

Sativex (nabiximols) is a combination drug made up of both THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).

It is currently not approved and not available in the United States but there are ongoing studies for its use in cancer pain amongst other uses.

It’s an oral spray delivering 2.7 mg THC and 2.5 mg CBD per spray and is available in the UK and parts of Europe the alleviation of symptoms associated with Multiple Sclerosis such as neuropathic pain, spasticity and others.

Marinol

FDA and Concerns about CBD Products

FDA continues to be concerned at the proliferation of items insisting to have CBD that are marketed for healing or clinical uses although they have not been accepted by FDA. Frequently such products are sold online as well as are therefore readily available throughout the country.

Marketing unapproved products with dubious therapeutic claims is not only an breach of the regulation, it also can put individuals in danger, as these products have not been proven to be secure or efficient. This misleading marketing of unverified therapies additionally elevates significant public health worries, because people as well as various other customers might be influenced not to use approved therapies to deal with severe as well as even fatal conditions.

Unlike medications accepted by the FDA, items that have not been subject to FDA review as part of the drug authorization process have actually not been reviewed regarding whether they function, what the proper dosage may be if they do function, how they could connect with various other drugs, or whether they have hazardous negative effects or various other security problems.

FDA Approved – drug authorization

The FDA drug authorization process represents the best means to guarantee that safe and efficient brand-new medications, including any medicines acquired from cannabis, are available to people in need of proper medical therapy. The Center for Drug Evaluation as well as Research (CDER) is devoted to supporting the development of new drugs, including marijuana as well as cannabis-derived medications, through the investigational new drug (IND) as well as medicine approval process

Drugs should usually either receive premarket approval by FDA via the New Drug Application (NDA) procedure or adhere to a “monograph” for a certain medicine category, as developed by FDA’s Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drug Review.