Penn State College of Medicine to Study Medical Cannabis’ True Potential

In June 2019, Penn State College of Medicine, a state-approved clinical research center, issued a news bulletin announcing that it will collaborate with PA Options for Wellness, a health consulting firm, for the purpose of researching medical marijuana and its ability to treat health issues. .

Penn State College of Medicine and PA Options for Wellness have a 10-year agreement in place. As a state-approved clinical registrant, the latter has a license permitting it to grow, process, and dispense medical marijuana for the purpose of research and medical treatment. The announcement also indicates that PA Options for Wellness will provide Penn State with funding for 10 years, and that most of the funding will go to the College of Medicine to study marijuana. The studies will focus on clinical studies concerning the health benefits and impacts on various health conditions. They will also focus on marijuana’s impact on pain management and anti-cancer activity.

Through this research, physicians and patients may be able to make clinical decisions concerning cannabinoids that are well-informed. Dr. Craig Hillemeier, Penn State College of Medicine Dead and CEO of Penn State Health and senior VP of health affairs at Penn State, shared in the press release

“The opportunity to understand cannabinoids and medical marijuana better has an extraordinary potential benefit to humankind. Only through investigation will we determine the possible effectiveness and role in improving lives.”

Tom Trite, CEO of PA Options, shared in the announcement

“PA Options for Wellness was founded in 2014 centered on research and education with the goal of becoming a leader in Pennsylvania’s emerging medical cannabis industry,” he continued, “The shared focus of the College of Medicine and PA Options for Wellness is a medical model focused on the patient, research, outcomes, compliance and quality of life.”

Kent Vrana of the Department of Pharmacology at Penn State College of Medicine shared in the announcement,

“I think this unique opportunity places the commonwealth of Pennsylvania at the forefront of promoting high-quality research on medical marijuana.”