An Ontario-based Pharmaceutical company is conducting the only Health Canada-approved clinical trial on cannabis as an effective way to manage pain in patients with cancer and chronic illness.
The study, by Tetra Bio-Pharma is examining whether cannabis is a faster, more effective alternative to opioids like fentanyl.
CEO Dr. Guy Chamberland says the trial is now in Phase 3, and clinical data suggests that unlike fentanyl, smoking cannabis allows patients to experience a high and disassociate from pain within minutes:
" And that's very rapid. Whereas the fentanyl you have to absorb it. And even if it's sublingual it might take 20 to 60 minutes. So what we're hoping to demonstrate in patients with breakthough pain is that we'll have a significantly superior time to relief in the patient."
The company's goal is to provide a government-approved cannabis product that will be available at pharmacies across Canada.