Sativex has been approved by Health Canada as a part of pain management with certain advanced cancers. The drug has been used with the pain that comes from multiple sclerosis for the past two years.
Sativex is a cannabis-derived spray that can be can self-administered. A patient sprays the drug into the mouth under the tongue or on the inside of the cheek.
Many advanced cancers are terminal and patients experience moderate to severe pain.
Yahoo reports that the drug will be used for pain management for patients who have moderate to severe pain when using the highest tolerated dose of strong opioid therapy.
"Cancer pain is not managed as well as it could be and the resources available to manage cancer pain effectively are still somewhat limited," Dr. Lawrence Librach, director of the Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, said in the Bayer statement.
"Cannabinoids have an important role in treating complex cancer pain particularly neuropathic pain and demonstrate a positive effect with current treatment options."
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