Advertisement

NSW Government to trial medicinal cannabis to treat chemotherapy side effects

The NSW government will consider growing cannabis locally if a medicinal cannabis trial proves a success to help treat chemotherapy side effects.

New figures show one in four chemotherapy patients already self medicate to prevent the nausea associated with chemotherapy.

Now a government-funded study will look to supply 80 adult patients with a cannabis capsule - made up of two types of cannabis – to help patients keep fighting.

Mother-of-two Lauren Hugh. Source: 7 News
Mother-of-two Lauren Hugh. Source: 7 News

Lauren Hugh knows how tough chemotherapy is, with her body riddled with tumours, the mother-of-two needs chemotherapy every third week.

“The sickness that comes with [chemo] is almost immediate,” she said.

“There are frequent times when you’re hospitalised to deal with the nausea and the vomiting.”

The cannabis capsules, made in Canada. Source: 7 News
The cannabis capsules, made in Canada. Source: 7 News

Now the 32-year-old hopes she’s eligible for a world-first clinical trial of cannabis capsules, which are made in Canada.

This is the first medicinal cannabis trial to start in NSW, with a second set to involve treating terminally ill patients.

That trial is yet to begin, but there are already cannabis-based drugs being used to help certain children with epilepsy.

“The best thing in the end for our people is to have drugs that doctors will use and that can be prescribed widely,” NSW Medical Research Minister Pru Goward said.

The NSW Government could grow the cannabis locally if the trial proves a success. Source: 7 News
The NSW Government could grow the cannabis locally if the trial proves a success. Source: 7 News