Two new Cannabis-based drugs, to treat epilepsy and MS, have been introduced by NICE and they will now be available on the UK's NHS. As usual, the introduction of these new drugs has been heralded by the mainstream media, charities and patient groups as 'long-overdue'.
Epidyolex is for children with two types of severe epilepsy, Lennox Gastaut syndrome, and Dravet syndrome. Both syndromes feature multiple seizures on a daily basis.
Sativex is a mouth spray that has been approved for treating muscle stiffness and spasms (spasticity) in MS (multiple sclerosis).
As usual, the two drugs were described by the media in glowing terms. Epidyolex, we were told, can reduce the number of seizures by up to 40% in some children, and this was confirmed by many parents who have been fighting for the drugs to be made available on the NHS. However, certain aspects of the story were not told, and perhaps will never be told if we rely on conventional medicine, and the mainstream media.
1. The Side Effects of the Drugs
The known side effects of the drugs were not mentioned. This is not unusual, of course. Introducing new 'wonder' drugs, and denying the harm they cause, is the strategy which maintains our faith in conventional medicine. But they are a matter of record in conventional medical literature.
So as usual the dangers of these drugs will not become known to non-doctors until a few more years down the line, when prescription will be increasingly restricted because of the harm they cause.
2. Why are the Drugs needed?
Conventional medicine undoubtedly needs the drugs. The number of children with life-threatening epilepsy syndromes is growing rapidly, as is MS. Both now affect unprecedented number of people. Both have become modern epidemics. And, as usual, conventional medicine has no effective or safe treatment for either.
So why do we have this need to treat so many new diseases? Why do so many people now suffer from these conditions? The problem with these "Why?" questions is that conventional medicine does not want to ask them. It's a disease; people are sick; and doctors have to provide treatment. It's that simple! Unfortunately it isn't!
3. The Cost of Drugs
This is, of course, a great business plan. Produce and sell a drug that causes disease; and then another drug that treats this iatrogenic disease, drugs which in turn cause more illness and disease. And pharmaceutical companies can charge incredible, mind-boggling sums for their drugs. Epidyolex, for instance, was approved for use in Europe in September 2019, but NICE initially said the drug was not good value for money as it cost between £5,000 and £10,000 per patient each year.
Sativex is reported to cost about £2,000 a year, per patient. It was licenced in 2014, and NICE said at this time that it was not cost effective. Now, it would seem, it is quite acceptable. For conventional medicine, of course, to have a drug is preferable to identifying the cause of an iatrogenic disease, at its source, and thereby eliminating it. There is no profit in that!
Remember these are drugs based on cannabis, basically a weed that costs very little to grow - but more of this later.
But the NHS has renegotiated these prices, so they are no longer deemed to be expensive. Quite how 'inexpensive' they have become remains unclear. We are not told. But it is a common business practice, in all industries, to ask for silly, exorbitant sums for a product, then to reduce the price so making it seem like a bargain.
4. The 'Active' Ingredients
These drugs are cannabis-based; they are not cannabis. Pharmaceutical companies have always isolated the 'active' ingredients of plants. Epidyolex, for instance, does not contain the main psychoactive component of cannabis, THC. Many parents of children with extreme epilepsy are paying many thousands of pounds each month for imported drugs that contain both THC, and another active ingredient, CBD. They have reduced the number and severity of seizures and they are furious that NICE has failed to approve cannabis-based medicines that contain both ingredients.
The reason for isolating the 'active' ingredient, especially of a plant-based drug, is that it gives the drug company control - over its production - and over its cost. If the active ingredient can be patented so much the better, they can charge even more. We are not dealing with herbalism here, we are dealing with a very Big Business - the pharmaceutical industry!
5. Pharmaceutical Control
Drug companies have a virtual monopoly within the NHS, as it does in most national health services throughout the world. And they fight to preserve their dominance. There have been a number of cases that demonstrate this, and I wrote about this one in 2014, and again in 2019.
This is, of course, the same reason why the NHS hates homeopathy, and other natural medical therapies. They are not in control! Natural therapies will never be accepted within the NHS - because they may prove to be safer, and more effective than what they have to offer. And that would never do!
Epidyolex is for children with two types of severe epilepsy, Lennox Gastaut syndrome, and Dravet syndrome. Both syndromes feature multiple seizures on a daily basis.
Sativex is a mouth spray that has been approved for treating muscle stiffness and spasms (spasticity) in MS (multiple sclerosis).
As usual, the two drugs were described by the media in glowing terms. Epidyolex, we were told, can reduce the number of seizures by up to 40% in some children, and this was confirmed by many parents who have been fighting for the drugs to be made available on the NHS. However, certain aspects of the story were not told, and perhaps will never be told if we rely on conventional medicine, and the mainstream media.
1. The Side Effects of the Drugs
The known side effects of the drugs were not mentioned. This is not unusual, of course. Introducing new 'wonder' drugs, and denying the harm they cause, is the strategy which maintains our faith in conventional medicine. But they are a matter of record in conventional medical literature.
So as usual the dangers of these drugs will not become known to non-doctors until a few more years down the line, when prescription will be increasingly restricted because of the harm they cause.
2. Why are the Drugs needed?
Conventional medicine undoubtedly needs the drugs. The number of children with life-threatening epilepsy syndromes is growing rapidly, as is MS. Both now affect unprecedented number of people. Both have become modern epidemics. And, as usual, conventional medicine has no effective or safe treatment for either.
So why do we have this need to treat so many new diseases? Why do so many people now suffer from these conditions? The problem with these "Why?" questions is that conventional medicine does not want to ask them. It's a disease; people are sick; and doctors have to provide treatment. It's that simple! Unfortunately it isn't!
- Epilepsy (seizures) are known to be caused by pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines.
- MS is known to be caused by pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines.
3. The Cost of Drugs
This is, of course, a great business plan. Produce and sell a drug that causes disease; and then another drug that treats this iatrogenic disease, drugs which in turn cause more illness and disease. And pharmaceutical companies can charge incredible, mind-boggling sums for their drugs. Epidyolex, for instance, was approved for use in Europe in September 2019, but NICE initially said the drug was not good value for money as it cost between £5,000 and £10,000 per patient each year.
Sativex is reported to cost about £2,000 a year, per patient. It was licenced in 2014, and NICE said at this time that it was not cost effective. Now, it would seem, it is quite acceptable. For conventional medicine, of course, to have a drug is preferable to identifying the cause of an iatrogenic disease, at its source, and thereby eliminating it. There is no profit in that!
Remember these are drugs based on cannabis, basically a weed that costs very little to grow - but more of this later.
But the NHS has renegotiated these prices, so they are no longer deemed to be expensive. Quite how 'inexpensive' they have become remains unclear. We are not told. But it is a common business practice, in all industries, to ask for silly, exorbitant sums for a product, then to reduce the price so making it seem like a bargain.
4. The 'Active' Ingredients
These drugs are cannabis-based; they are not cannabis. Pharmaceutical companies have always isolated the 'active' ingredients of plants. Epidyolex, for instance, does not contain the main psychoactive component of cannabis, THC. Many parents of children with extreme epilepsy are paying many thousands of pounds each month for imported drugs that contain both THC, and another active ingredient, CBD. They have reduced the number and severity of seizures and they are furious that NICE has failed to approve cannabis-based medicines that contain both ingredients.
The reason for isolating the 'active' ingredient, especially of a plant-based drug, is that it gives the drug company control - over its production - and over its cost. If the active ingredient can be patented so much the better, they can charge even more. We are not dealing with herbalism here, we are dealing with a very Big Business - the pharmaceutical industry!
5. Pharmaceutical Control
Drug companies have a virtual monopoly within the NHS, as it does in most national health services throughout the world. And they fight to preserve their dominance. There have been a number of cases that demonstrate this, and I wrote about this one in 2014, and again in 2019.
- The parents of Ashya King fought to have their son, who suffered from cancer (probably caused by pharmaceutical drugs), treated with Proton Beam therapy, and were imprisoned and prosecuted because they removed him from a hospital in England. They disobeyed the conventional medical authorities, and paid the price.
This is, of course, the same reason why the NHS hates homeopathy, and other natural medical therapies. They are not in control! Natural therapies will never be accepted within the NHS - because they may prove to be safer, and more effective than what they have to offer. And that would never do!
