Study gives hope marijuana extract can treat seizures

Trevor Hughes | USA TODAY

DENVER — A small medical study in which children suffering from seizures were given pharmaceutical-grade marijuana extract shows the treatment appears to have promise, researchers say.

Unlike a normal pharmaceutical trial in which some patients are given the drug and others receive a placebo, the volunteer participants all knew they were getting the treatment, which contained no THC, which is the chemical compound in marijuana that gives users a "high." Instead, the participants received doses of marijuana oil containing CBD, or cannabidiol, which has quickly gained a reputation as a treatment for seizures.

According to information released by the American Academy of Neurology on Monday, more than 200 patients received at least some of the CBD treatment, with 123 receiving a full 12-week course. Researchers said the treatment appeared to cut the number of seizures nearly in half. Twelve patients dropped out of the study after suffering side effects including sleeplessness and loss of appetite.

Pharmaceutical seizure medications have their own side effects, and some children don't respond well to traditional treatment, said Dr. Angus Wilfong, a pediatric neurologist and investigator at Texas Children's Hospital who was an investigator on the study, which was conducted at multiple locations around the world. Wilfong said he understands that some parents are desperate to help their kids with their seizures, which can sometimes strike dozens of times a day.

"What's really astounding about medical marijuana is that there's no scientific proof that it even works," said Wilfong, who is also professor of pediatric neurology at Baylor College of Medicine. "The cart has gotten so far ahead of the horse."

Wilfong said the types of epilepsy treated in the study tend to vary widely from month to month, making it hard to tell anecdotally whether marijuana oil really helps, or if a child simply had a better month by coincidence.

He said other studies have conclusively shown that young children exposed to marijuana have a lower IQ, which means parents need to be informed about treatment decisions.

"Science needs to get done. It won't be someone's opinion. It will be fact. And we need facts, especially for children," he said. "Just because you're desperate doesn't mean you should be irresponsible."

Parents from across the country have flocked to Colorado to get access to a strain of CBD oil known as "Charlotte's Web," named for a young girl whose successful treatment garnered national attention. Advocates say marijuana oil eases muscle spasms but leaves the mind more clear than traditional treatments, which include powerful prescription muscle relaxants.

The oil is so popular that parents often dose their children while they're hospitalized, as doctors and nurses stand by because they legally can't administer it.

"After everyone saw that, they all started coming to Colorado for this possible treatment," said Dr. Scott Stevens, the director of advanced clinical experience in neurology at the North Shore-LIJ Health System in Manhasset, N.Y. "These are people who are looking for any hope, looking for any treatment. ... What people are going by are anecdotes."

Stevens, who was not connected to the study, said the lack of scientific trials for marijuana means many doctors are reluctant to recommend it. But he said he always tries to give parents as much information as he can, and advises them to make their own decision.

While pharmaceutical drugs often have side effects, they're generally well known because federal regulators require extensive testing. Marijuana products, in comparison, aren't subject to any federal quality control. That means anyone can produce a product they claim is Charlotte's Web — and there's no guarantee that the olive oil-based treatment will be consistent from batch to batch.

"Every single time, an Advil is an Advil is an Advil. And the same with vodka," said Matt Kaplan, the president of Sage Analytics. The company got its start making testing equipment for pharmaceutical drugs, and is now moving into marijuana testing. Kaplan said the lack of standardization within the marijuana industry makes it hard for patients to know what they're getting.

"You don't want them getting high. And right now they could be getting a product that's contains a very high amount of THC in a product that's supposed to be therapeutic," he said.