Health Canada Approves Epidiolex for Market Release

Federal regulators in Canada, represented by Health Canada and the Ministry of Health, have approved the pharmaceutical drug Epidiolex for market release. Epidiolex is a CBD-based medication used in the treatment of epilepsy. With this decision, Canada officially becomes the 36th country in the world where the medication will be available for general distribution, rather than as a strictly regulated drug (in practice, the medication will be available by prescription).

Previously, the drug was already accessible to Canadians, but it was dispensed directly to patients by the manufacturer based in Canada, specifically Jazz Pharmaceuticals, which now owns GW, the producer of the product. Now, the previously import-only product will also be available on a larger scale within Canada.

Of course, some critics have questioned the need for certifying the substance, given the wide availability of unregulated alternatives in the form of CBD oils derived from therapeutic and industrial hemp. Critics also point out the questionable necessity of legalizing an expensive, specialized product that is only available by prescription, especially in light of the overall decline in profits in the therapeutic cannabis market. As a result of full national legalization, many therapeutic cannabis users have turned to the recreational market, which does not require certifications or consumer cards, or have started growing and processing cannabis themselves.

In any case, medical professionals have welcomed the authorities’ decision, also noting that the extensive testing of the drug by Health Canada during its evaluation could set a precedent for speeding up the legalization process for similar medications in other countries.