A clinical trial is underway in the UK to test the safety and efficacy of CBD as a treatment for infants born with a lack of blood flow from the placenta which can lead to brain damage.
The Press Association reports Oscar Parodi was born with neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and transferred to intensive neonatal care where he was given cooling treatment and a single intravenous dose of the cannabis-derived medicine in an effort to protect his brain.
His treatment is part of a year-long trial where researchers will prescribe 1/30th of the usual dose of the medicine to infants to protect them from potential side effects. Their progress will be checked at regular intervals throughout the trial.
“Oscar is doing fantastically well and I am really grateful to Dr Clarke and the team for what they have done for us.”
chelsea parodi
Professor Paul Clarke, consultant neonatologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said: “We are proud to have recruited the very first babies into this study. It is hoped that it will be good for preventing seizures and protecting the brains of new-born babies with HIE.”
Oscar’s mother Chelsea said: “I was approached after the birth about taking part in this study and I consulted my mum and my brother who is training to be a paramedic. It was hard but I wanted to do everything I could to help my baby boy. Oscar is doing fantastically well and I am really grateful to Dr Clarke and the team for what they have done for us.”
The study is funded and sponsored by GW Pharmaceuticals and supported by the National Institute for Health Research.