GW Pharmaceuticals PLC Tuesday said the remaining two Phase 3 trials for its Sativex product were consistent with the first trial in that Sativex did not meet the primary endpoint, although they did show a "statistically significant improvement" for Sativex compared with a placebo.

Sativex is being investigated for the treatment of pain in patients with advanced cancer who experience inadequate analgesia during optimized chronic opioid therapy.

"In light of the missed primary endpoint in the first trial earlier this year, these additional results are not a surprise. Nevertheless, we are encouraged by data across the trials which consistently show positive outcomes for US patients when analysed as a separate cohort," said GW Chief Executive Justin Gover.

Medicinal cannabis my soon be legalised in Australia. 

Medical marijuana can relieve muscle spasms so severe it breaks bones, Multiple Sclerosis Queensland's specialist education officer Tim O'Maley has told Fairfax Media.

And Epilepsy Queensland's chief executive officer Helen Whitehead said medical marijuana genuinely helped control seizures in people living with epilepsy.

Mr O'Maley, specialist education officer with Multiple Sclerosis Queensland (MSQ) said cannabis treatments genuinely helped people with MS.

There are "roughly 3300 Queenslanders" living with multiple sclerosis, he said.

Queenslanders and Victorians with particular chronic illnesses may now be eligible to join New South Wales medicinal cannabis trials, due to start mid next year.

The three states will collaborate on the development of medicinal cannabis, its regulatory framework and clinical research to explore the safety and benefits of the product among three key groups:

NSW children who suffer from severe epilepsy will, for the first time in the world, trial a new cannabis-derived drug and have access to a secure supply of medicinal cannabis from early 2016.

Premier Mike Baird announced the NSW government's $3.5 million commitment and partnership with British-based GW Pharmaceuticals on Tuesday, describing the moment as a historic day for the state and for the hundreds of families across NSW who live with the debilitating effects of drug-resistant epilepsy.

"It's a day that I know has given hope to many of these families ... if we can bring relief to these poor children, who wouldn't want to do that?" he said at Randwick Children's Hospital.

The Roy Morgan poll found 91% of those surveyed said marijuana for medical purposes should be made legal, with strongest support in the 50-plus age group

Only 7% of Australians surveyed for their views on medical marijuana said they were opposed to the drug being made legal for medicinal purposes, a new survey shows.

In a poll released by Roy Morgan Research on Monday, 644 Australians aged 14 and above were asked: “In your opinion should the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes be made legal or remain illegal?”

MORE than nine out of every 10 Australians (91%) believe the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes should be made legal, according to a special Roy Morgan telephone survey.

Only 7% of respondants to the survey - conducted last week with 644 Australians aged 14+ - are against legalisation and 2% can't say.

This is the first time Roy Morgan Research has asked specifically about the medicinal use of marijuana.

The landslide result comes from widespread support for the legalisation of medicinal marijuana among men and women, different age groups, states of residence and federal voting intention.

Analysis by age and gender

Two sisters from Australia have come to Canada seeking help for a degenerative lung disease that could quickly prove to be fatal if not treated properly. And they are receiving it in Victoria, thanks to an alternative treatment centre that is supplying the children with cannabis oil.

The concern, however, is what happens when Tabetha, 13, and Georgia-Grace Fulton, 8, return home in a few months.

Prior to their arrival in Victoria this summer, the sisters were being treated in Australia with steroids — drugs whose side-effects, including osteoporosis, have drastically reduced their quality of life, says mother Bobby-Jo Fulton.

The potential reintroduction of medical cannabis in Australia is creating debate about the need for trials, which are set to start next year.  

The Victorian Government in partnership with the New South Wales and Queensland governments have committed to clinical trials for medical cannabis in 2016.

Australian medical experts say there is a need for more research into various aspects of medical cannabis in order to legalise a drug that is safe to use for patients.

In particular, medical experts believe it will not be possible to determine a safe dosage of cannabis for patients based on only one clinical trial.

The Commonwealth government announced plans on the weekend to legalise growing cannabis for medicinal and research purposes in Australia.

The news follows the Victorian government’s announcement earlier this month that it will legalise access to medicinal cannabis products for patients with severe symptoms from 2017.

Meanwhile, the New South Wales government will provide up to $A9 million to support cannabis clinical trials.

Australia is making key moves to legalise the growing of cannabis for medicinal and scientific purposes, the government announced.
Health Minister Sussan Ley said on Saturday that changes to existing legislation that bans the growing of marijuana will be introduced to parliament, with the aim of providing alternate treatment for people with debilitating illnesses, reports Al Jazeera.
“This government is incredibly sympathetic to the suffering of those Australians with debilitating illnesses and we want to enable access to the most effective medical treatments available,” Ley said.
But growing cannabis for recreational purposes will still be illegal in Australia.