Are any cannabinoids approved by the FDA to treat pain from sickle cell disease?
No, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved cannabinoids to treat pain from sickle cell disease.
Cannabinoids are FDA-approved only in the United States to treat two rare forms of epilepsy. More specifically, the cannabidiol (CBD) prescription drug Epidiolex is approved for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. The FDA hasn’t approved Epidiolex to treat SCD.
A study in mice with SCD found evidence that Epidiolex has the potential to reduce or prevent pain. Clinical trials are needed to determine if this effect translates to humans before the FDA considers approving it.