A GROUNDBREAKING medical trial using synthetic cannabis to treat seizures in children with severe epilepsy is about to start at the Austin Hospital.

This medicinal cannabis, unlike its recreational counterpart, doesn’t get people high.

The international clinical trial, which has already started in the US, is a first for Australia and will investigate whether the medicine is effective in treating severe childhood epilepsy.

Austin Health’s Paediatric director Prof Ingrid Scheffer said the first part of the trial would involve a 12-day hospital admission to investigate correct dosages of the drug cannabidiol or CBD.

Heidelberg Leader previously reported research done by Prof Scheffer and her colleague Prof Sam Berkovic helped to uncover the first gene for epilepsy and to identify many of the known epilepsy genes from the body’s 25,000 genes.

The medical trial drug contains a therapeutic type of man-made chemical — CBD — and not the compound found in the recreational party drug which mimics the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, which gets people high.

Prof Scheffer said the placebo controlled trial, developed by US pharmaceutical company Insys Therapeutics Inc, would find out whether the drug worked on treating the condition.

While the first phase focuses on dosage level, Prof Scheffer said she hoped it would follow on to a second phase which would treat the symptoms.

She said the hospital was chosen for the study because of Prof Scheffer’s leading work into severe types of epilepsy including the Dravet clinic run at the Austin Hospital.

The trial will target children and young people aged between one and 17 years.

Prof Scheffer said criteria for being part of the trial included screening for severe epilepsy, having trialled three types of medication without effect and ongoing seizures.

This announcement comes after the State Government introduced laws allowing families to access medicinal cannabis in exceptional circumstances.

Victorian Health MP Jill Hennessy said the trial was working toward growing more evidence to support the medicinal use of cannabis.

“The more we can learn the more we will be able to help the children who need it the most,” Ms Hennessy said.