Health Canada is in the process of approving the first (dried) cannabis pill. The drug PPP001 is manufactured in Moncton by a pharmacist, in collaboration with Tétra Bio-Pharma
The first cannabis pill approved by Health Canada will soon be on the market. This new drug resulting from the collaboration of a pharmacist and Tétra Bio-Pharma is in the process of being approved. This pill is a first on the pharmaceutical market, it will be very different from what is currently done and will be more easily prescribed.
The cannabis pill (dried)
Currently the only pharmaceutical drug (based on non-synthetic cannabis) distributed (even in France), is Sativex. Other drugs from synthetic THC have emerged, but the PPP001 pill will have the merit of being natural, and based on dried cannabis. We owe this feat to pharmacist Peter Ford of Moncton, who worked with the pharmaceutical company Tétra Bio-Pharma, a listed company.
Pharmacist Peter Ford has been making drugs for 35 years in his little lab on St. George Street in Moncton. And for a year and a half, he has embarked on a whole new adventure, namely to make the first pill made entirely of dried cannabis.
I did my doctoral thesis on cannabis and I realized that it was a remarkable productexplains the apothecary.
PPP001 relieves chronic pain
The drug PPP001, will primarily be used to relieve chronic pain and patients in the terminal phase of cancer. Its specificity is found in the purity of the cannabis used. This means that we make it without any additives. If we take a closer look, the pill contains 9,5% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) et 2,5% cannabidiol (CBD)
I have 80 year old patients who are now talking about CBD, THC and this is really something that I have never seen in my life as a pharmacist.
A medicine distributed in Europe?
But Health Canada doesn't quite consider medical cannabis to be a drug ... However, Tetra Bio-Pharma wants its pill to take the final step that will allow it to be prescribed by doctors.
We want to have a Drug Identification Number from Health Canada. This number allows patients to get reimbursed by insurance, because recreational cannabis is notadds Ford. In addition, everyone can get this drug, as it will be prescribed. In addition, it will not only be reserved for adults.
The PPP001 product is scrutinized. In fact, cannabis is inspected in greenhouses, then again by Tetra Bio-Pharma and an independent inspector. In addition, it contains no trace of pesticide or toxin.
