Topical Medical Cannabis Cream Now Being Sold in Canada for Patients with MS, Other Conditions

Registered patients in Canada can now purchase CanniMed Topical Cream, a product with medical cannabis oil designed to provide fast-acting relief for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions associated with pain and inflammation.

The product is the result of a collaboration between Canada-based CanniMed Therapeutics and Avaria Health & Beauty, which specializes in skin and body care products. The cream consists of a fusion of CanniMed’s medical cannabis oil and Avaria’s Kalaya Carrier Base Gel.

“Patients and physicians have been demanding a high-quality medical cannabis topical cream and we are pleased to be able to offer one of Canada’s most robust and innovative carrier gels to blend with our standardized and trusted oils,” Brent Zettl, president, co-founder and CEO of CanniMed, said in a press release.

“This is a whole new form of delivery for medical cannabis, ideal for patients who do not wish ingest or vaporize and prefer only localized treatment for their condition,” he said.

According to CanniMed, the benefits of the topical cream include localized treatment, as a concentrated dose is delivered only to the affected area; fast-acting relief through rapid skin absorption; and convenience, as it does not require refrigeration.

“Our Medical Formulating Team has created a one-of-a-kind product designed to provide an effective, alternative route of administration for patients looking for a different way to use medical cannabis,” said Keith Burk, MD, CEO at Avaria Health & Beauty.

“We look forward to seeing the difference that this unique option has on the wellbeing of patients, along with other exciting products in development with CanniMed,” he said.

Anecdotal evidence supports the use of topical medical cannabis for neuropathic pain, particularly in patients with MS, inflammation, and allergic skin conditions. A recent study in Israel also found that medical cannabis safely reduced pain in older patients with MS and other chronic conditions, more than 33 percent of whom used cannabis-infused oil.

CanniMed Topical Cream is available in two formulas: CanniMed Oil 10:10, which has equal concentrations of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), two cannabinoids; and CanniMed Oil 1:20, which only contains CBD.

The company is selling its CanniMed Oil 10:10 for $189.99 Canadian dollars (about $146.49 U.S.), or $143.99 Canadian (about $111.02 U.S.) for its 1:20 formula.

The CanniMed Topical Cream kit includes one bottle of CanniMed’s medical cannabis oil, one jar of Kalaya Carrier Base Gel, and one spatula. The oil and gel should be mixed together to create the cream.