Epidiolex: FDA panel recommends approving marijuana-derived drug

<p>The U.S. Food and Drug Administration could soon approve what would be the country's first prescription medicine <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/19/health/fda-committee-marijuana-drug-epilepsy-bn/index.html" target="_blank">derived from marijuana</a>.</p><p>On Thursday, an FDA advisory panel unanimously recommended approving the drug <a href="https://www.gwpharm.com/epilepsy-patients-caregivers/patients" target="_blank">called Epidiolex</a>. A U.K. pharmaceutical company created it to treat rare and severe forms of epilepsy.</p><p>During clinical trials, patients given Epidiolex to help treat Dravet syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome saw the frequency of their seizures "significantly reduced," GW Pharmaceuticals <a href="https://www.gwpharm.com/about-us/news/gw-pharmaceuticals-announces-unanimous-positive-result-fda-advisory-committee-meeting" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>.</p><p>The medicine's active ingredient is cannabidiol — a chemical found in cannabis. Unlike medical marijuana, which contains a compound that can produce a high, cannabidiol isn't psychoactive.</p><p>The FDA will reportedly decide by the end of June if it'll approve Epidiolex.</p><hr><b>Trending stories at <a href="http://www.newsy.com">Newsy.com</a></b><ul class="inline-related-links"><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/stories/plastic-america-s-favorite-material-has-deep-cultural-ties/">Plastic: America's Indispensable Cultural Icon</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/stories/why-autism-might-vastly-be-underdiagnosed-in-women/">'Social Camouflage' Might Lead To Underdiagnosing Autism In Women</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/stories/naloxone-it-saves-lives-but-does-it-enable-addiction/">'Miracle' Drug Reverses Overdoses, But Does It Fuel Addiction Cycle?</a></li></ul>