The race is on!… A landmark independent medical investigation into the potential of cannabis as a cancer cure is due to begin in 2015, thanks to funds raised by sponsors of The Medical Cannabis Bike Tour.
At a press conference in Madrid, On November 27th, The Medical Cannabis Bike Tour handed over 100,000€ to begin clinical trials, in which cannabinoids (THC and CBD) will be used with anti cancer drugs as a first line therapy to treat 30-40 brain cancer patients.
The check was accepted by scientists from the University of Complutense in Madrid and the chief investigator of the Spanish Group of Neurooncology (GEINO), Dr Juan Manuel Sepúlveda. GEINO hopes to begin the patient trials in September 2015, once medical authorities have agreed on the protocol and ethical procedures.
At the press conference, the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour also announced that it will be taking the tour to northern Europe in June 2015 with a 420km route through Holland, Belgium and Germany.
The tour began in 2012 with just two participants, and last year attracted over 50 from all over Europe and North America. In 2015, MCBT organizers have set their sights on 100 riders and volunteers. It hopes to raise another substantial amount towards the estimated 280,000€ it will cost to stage the clinical trials.
Dr Sepúlveda told the press conference, “We want to thank the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour. It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to follow this research independently. This will be a new window for us and we are going to try very hard to change patients’ lives through this study.”
The ground breaking trials are the result of many years study by scientists at Complutense University, who have been studying the effects of cannabinoids on cancer cells. Their research has shown that the active compounds of cannabis restrict tumour growth and can kill cancer cells.
Dr Velasco, one of the scientists fronting the research, said, “It is fantastic to have a well respected organization such as GEINO backing our research. We hope these clinical trials will provide the scientific evidence to explore the possibilities of using cannabinoids in cancer treatments.”
Luc Krol, founder of the MCBT, said, “This is a historic day. The money we continue to raise will fund programs like this and, we hope, provide real scientific evidence to support anecdotal evidence suggesting cannabis cures cancer. I would like to invite people to join our cause. We are an international force and our cause continues to be a great adventure!”
For more information please contact:
press@medicalcannabis-biketour.com (for interviews and background information)
secretaria@grupo.geino.es (for enquiries relating to the clinical trials)
