MyDx to Support Study on the Impacts of Cannabis Use in HIV Patients
MyDx, a leader in science-based cannabis health technologies, has announced that the University of Florida will be using their flagship product, the CannaDx Analyzer, in the largest prospective study to date focused on the health effects of marijuana in people living with HIV.
“With this study, we are taking an additional step in solidifying our position as a leader in science-based cannabis health technologies. The CannaDx Analyzer is expected to be used in a large pre-clinical long-term cannabis study that will track patient data,” stated Daniel Yazbeck, CEO of MyDx. “The science of cannabis is still in its infancy. Studies like these, conducted by reputable institutions like the University of Florida, and supported by MyDx, are paving the way for the future of cannabis science in this country.”
We first entered communications with the University of Florida back in December of 2017. After reviewing the CannaDx Analyzer’s specifications, abilities, and corresponding software application, we are happy to announce that our platform was the one selected for the study.
This is intended to be a long-term study to be conducted over the course of up to 5 years that has the potential to produce valuable data which could contribute to the future possibilities of cannabis being used as a real medicine.
Marijuana and Potential Long-term Effects Study Goals
The overarching goals of this study are to obtain evidence regarding the influence of marijuana on major health outcomes and behavior in persons living with HIV in order to help guide clinical recommendations and identify risk factors for consequences. The research team is especially interested in the relationship of marijuana to novel aspects of cognitive function (e.g. motivation, intention, planning) and to systemic inflammation.
The study will enroll 480 total participants, including 360 marijuana users and 120 non-users. Participants will be asked to complete a baseline visit, with yearly follow-up visits for up to five years.
During a visit, participants will be asked to:
• Give a small blood sample
• Give a small urine sample
• Complete a 45-minute survey about their marijuana, alcohol, and drug use, sexual activity, pain levels, and mood
• Complete approximately 2 hours of thinking and memory tasks on paper and on an iPad
The study would like to ask the participants to analyze the marijuana product that they consume using the MyDx device. This will be done by allowing participants to take the device home with a study phone that has the app on it to do a one-time test of their marijuana product. They will also enter some information in the app associated with their marijuana use (e.g., ailments trying to relieve, side effects).
The findings will inform HIV treatment providers and patients who are considering marijuana to manage HIV-related symptoms or the HIV disease itself and will identify patterns of marijuana use that are most strongly associated with the incidence of substance use disorders.
The application of the MyDx analyzer in this study further solidifies our positioning of the company for a future exit.
