First Marijuana-Based Medicine Is Approved for Sale in U.S.
- FDA clears GW Pharma’s Epidiolex to treat some epilepsy
- Drug contains compound in pot plant called cannabidiol
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The first-ever medical treatment derived from a marijuana plant will hit the U.S. market in a few months after regulators on Monday gave the epilepsy treatment the green light.
The Food and Drug Administration approved GW Pharmaceuticals Plc’s Epidiolex to treat two rare forms of childhood epilepsy, according to a statement from the agency. The liquid is made from a compound in the marijuana plant called cannabidiol, a different chemical from tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which gets users high.