Israeli Cannabis Research Company Focuses on Older Adults

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]W[/dropcap]hile the United States grapples with the idea of legalizing cannabis for medical consumption on a national level, one Israeli cannabis company is making progressive strides in research concerning older adults.

The approval process for cannabis research can take years of working with government committees. However, Israel’s regulatory climate and supportive research infrastructure allows the country to be a leader in cannabis research.

Currently, patients are being recruited for a trial effort between Tikun Olam and the Geriatric Wing at Laniado Hospital, which will investigate cannabis use to treat dementia patients with behavior disorders. The study was inspired after doctors saw non-communicative patients engage with family after cannabis treatment and offers a possible medical option other than anti-psychotics with strong side effects.

Another trial is set to explore using cannabis as an appetite stimulant to help dialysis patients, since the effect on cancer and AIDS patients is well known. The study will explore if medical cannabis use can help with weight gain, calorie consumption, and will not any other health benefits that present themselves.

Published in the European Journal of Internal Medicine, a study done in collaboration with Soroka Medical Center explored medical cannabis treatment efficacy for conditions including neuropathic pain, Parksinson’s disease, cancer and other conditions. After six months of treatment, patients felt significantly less pain and felt that the treatment not only was effective for their condition but also improved their life. And even though dizziness was a reported side effect of the medical cannabis treatment, less falls were reported after treatment.

“This study is an unprecedented affirmation by the scientific community of the efficacy of medical marijuana in the elderly,” said Chief Executive Officer Bernie Sucher to the Chicago Evening Post last year. “These people are arguably the most medically vulnerable population and already a large and growing proportion of the users of medical cannabis.”

Tikun Olam (named after a phrase meaning “repair of the world” in Hebrew) has been one of the country’s leaders in cannabis research in Israel, ever since its inception in 2006. The company is comprised of Tikun Olam Grows, which has cultivated several unique strains, Tikun lam Research, whose products are used in clinical research, and Tikun Olam Care, the world’s first professional nursing clinic.