The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia will soon join forces with an Australian pharmaceutical research firm to investigate the effectiveness of medical marijuana treatment in pediatric patients.
In a collaborative partnership, CHOP will work with Zelda Therapeutics to conduct an observational study on existing patients with autism, leveraging the hospital's existing research infrastructure in Philadelphia.
An initial study on key efficacy and safety measures, including bioanalytical studies, will build the foundation for a future clinical trial seeking to validate positive anecdotal data found in current patient populations.
The potential treatment link between autism and cannabis was first explored by researchers at UC Irvine, who published a study in 2000 that found cannabis could be an effective treatment for schizophrenia, Parkinson's Disease, autism and several other conditions.
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