Although we celebrate the CSIRO’s skills and knowledge are being put to use working with the private sector to develop medicinal cannabis it makes it ever more obvious that cannabis can’t just be confined to cosy agreements between Australian business elites and government whilst medicinal cannabis patients pay over the mark for medicine and general cannabis users are criminalized .
At some point a decision. has to be made about how to properly regulate cannabis in Australia.
Channel 7 News reports
The CSIRO has been granted a licence to partner with local manufacturers to drive the development of new medicinal cannabis products in a move tipped to create Australian jobs.
The global market for medicinal cannabis therapeutics has a projected worth of $US44 billion ($A55 billion) by 2024.
CSIRO Scientist, Adjunct Professor Peter Duggan, says the new licence places the national science agency at the forefront of research into the development of new cannabis medicines.
“Around the world, researchers are exploring the potential for medicinal cannabis to help with conditions such as epilepsy and the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy treatment, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
“We had been able to do early-stage work with cannabis but the new licence will enable us to develop cannabis-derived cannabinoid medicines using innovative extraction, refinement and formulation techniques.”
The experienced botanical extracts team at CSIRO will develop cutting-edge cannabis products in their state-of-the-art lab.
CSIRO is the only independent research institute in Australia able to develop drug manufacturing protocols in the medicinal cannabis space.
This work will bridge the gap between the growing of plants and manufacture of medicines, with researchers developing the manufacturing protocols and preparing the first prototype products before transferring the technology to manufacturers for large scale production.
The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes is highly regulated in Australia.
In December the Therapeutic Goods Administration approved over-the-counter pharmacy sales of a low dose form of cannabidiol, one of the key components of cannabis that can help with a range of medical conditions.
Oils, capsules, oral sprays, lozenges or other drug formats, can also be prescribed through the TGA’s Special Access Scheme.
There are more than 20 medicinal cannabis companies listed on the ASX and a growing number of licensed cultivators and manufacturers.
Peter Crock, CEO of industry leading medicinal cannabis company, Cann Group, and Chair of Medicinal Cannabis Industry Australia, said the independent licence meant the CSIRO would be able to play a key role in helping establish a vibrant industry in Australia.
“Research that creates new and enhanced medical products and improves manufacturing processes is important if we want Australia’s medicinal cannabis industry to be competitive in a global market.”
Source: https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/csiro-to-develop-new-medicinal-cannabis-c-2236995
Over at 3AW talkback radio Peter Crock of CannGroup is singing the praises of the deal because we presume it’ll enrich him and his shareholders now he’s got this sort of government co-operation in the bag.
When he says things like …
“It shows we really have moved out of the shadows of prohibition,”
Here at CLR we have to remember our Buddhist breathing exercises as he is talking .. well… Crock.
The CSIRO has secured a licence to develop new medicinal cannabis products in Australia.
It’s been branded a significant development for those with a variety of conditions including multiple sclerosis and chronic pain.
Australia’s national science agency will play a “pivotal role” in removing the stigma of cannabis, according to one of the biggest medicinal cannabis companies in Australia.
“It shows we really have moved out of the shadows of prohibition,” Peter Crock, CEO of the Cann Group, told Neil Mitchell.
Here’s the CSIRO Press Release
Source
https://www.csiro.au/en/News/News-releases/2021/CSIRO-secures-licence-to-develop-medicinal-cannabis
CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, will develop new medicinal cannabis products to help people with a variety of conditions including multiple sclerosis and chronic pain.
Under a new licence, CSIRO will support the burgeoning local industry and partner with local manufacturers to drive the development of new cannabis therapeutics, in a move that will create new jobs in Australia.
The global market for medicinal cannabis is projected to be worth USD $44 billion by 2024.
CSIRO Scientist, Adjunct Professor Peter Duggan, said the licence placed CSIRO at the forefront of research into the development of new cannabis medicines.
“Around the world, researchers are exploring the potential for medicinal cannabis to help with conditions such as epilepsy and the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy treatment, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain,” Professor Duggan said.
“We had been able to do early-stage work with cannabis, but the new licence will enable us to develop cannabis-derived cannabinoid medicines using innovative extraction, refinement and formulation techniques.”
CSIRO is currently the only independent research institute in Australia able to develop drug manufacturing protocols in the medicinal cannabis space.
This work will bridge the gap between the growing of plants and the manufacture of medicines, with the researchers developing the manufacturing protocols and preparing the first prototype products before transferring the technology to manufacturers for large scale production.
The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes is highly regulated in Australia.
However, in December the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved over-the-counter pharmacy sales of a low dose form of cannabidiol (CBD), one of the key components of cannabis that can help with a range of medical conditions.
Medicinal cannabis products, in the form of oils, capsules, oral sprays, lozenges or other drug formats, can also be prescribed through the TGA’s Special Access Scheme.
Peter Crock, CEO of industry leading medicinal cannabis company, Cann Group, and Chair of Medicinal Cannabis Industry Australia (MCIA), said there were over 20 medicinal cannabis companies currently listed on the ASX, and a growing number of licenced cultivators and manufacturers now in Australia.
“Cann Group has worked closely with CSIRO over the past three years and has been pleased with the results,” Mr Crock said.
“With this independent license CSIRO will be able to play a key role in helping establish a vibrant industry in Australia.
“Research that creates new and enhanced medical products and improves manufacturing processes is important if we want Australia’s medicinal cannabis industry to be competitive in a global market.”
