Gastrointestinal Society joins Canadian Medical Cannabis Council’s Patient Advisory Committee
TORONTO (March 13, 2017) – Today, the Canadian Medical Cannabis Council (CMCC) announced that the Gastrointestinal (GI) Society has joined eight other leading patient groups from across Canada, as the newest member of the medical cannabis industry’s first Patient Advisory Committee (PAC). The Committee works to ensure patients and their best interests are the focus of the practices, activities and policy advocacy of the CMCC.
“We’re happy to welcome the GI Society to the CMCC Patient Advisory Committee, as both organizations share the core value of advocating for the care and safety of patients,” says Philippe Lucas, Interim Executive Director of CMCC. “In light of the high usage rate of medical cannabis by those affected by GI issues such as the inflammatory bowel diseases of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and the functional condition irritable bowel syndrome, there is increasing research suggesting cannabinoids can be safe and effective treatment options for GI patients. We embrace the experience and knowledge the GI Society brings to CMCC.”
“GI Society in partnership with its sister charity, the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research, has been helping patients who have gastrointestinal and liver diseases since 1976, through patient education, research, and advocacy,” says Gail Attara, President and CEO of the GI Society, and a patient advocate for more than twenty years. “I have seen the benefits of medical cannabis in the treatment of GI diseases and disorders in the patients who we serve, and welcome it as a treatment option. We are thrilled to be joining an organization that emphasises the importance of patient-safety, and advocates on behalf of the patients’ needs above all.”
The GI Society joins other PAC members including the Canadian AIDS Society; Arthritis Society of Canada; Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana (CFAMM); The Wellness Soldier; ILC Foundation; Canadian Cancer Survivor Network; Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association and Canadian Epilepsy Alliance (CEA).
Patient Advisory Committee Chair and long-time patient advocate, Jonathan Zaid says, “This addition adds an experienced and knowledgeable voice for those affected by GI issues to the PAC.”
The GI Society will work with the CMCC Patient Advisory Committee to provide an additional patient-centered lens, with a focus on gastrointestinal issues, to CMCC policies and initiatives in the organization’s quarterly meetings.
About the Gastrointestinal Society (GI Society)
The GI (Gastrointestinal) Society and the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research (CSIR) are registered Canadian charities have been committed to improving the lives of people with GI and liver conditions, supporting research, advocating for appropriate patient access to health care, and promoting gastrointestinal and liver health since 1976. www.badgut.org
About the Canadian Medical Cannabis Council (CMCC)
The Canadian Medical Cannabis Council is an industry group representing stakeholders who are committed to advancing the highest standards of integrity, safety, quality, access, security and research within Canada’s medical cannabis industry.
For more information, or to speak with a representative of CMCC, please contact:
Chrissy Roebuck
Pomp & Circumstance PR
[email protected]
