Could VER-01 Redefine the Role of Cannabis in Chronic Pain Care?
In an interview with Pharmacy Times, Erin J. Walsh, PharmD, RPh, MS, MCST, discusses how VER-01 could reshape the role of cannabis-derived medicines in chronic pain care, the evolving role of pharmacists, and why pharmaceutical cannabinoids and whole-plant cannabis should be viewed as complementary therapeutic options rather than competitors.
Cannabis-derived medicines have long occupied a complicated place in pain management—supported by growing scientific interest, shaped by evolving regulations, and often overshadowed by misconceptions surrounding medical cannabis. The FDA's Breakthrough Therapy Designation for VER-01, an investigational oral therapy for chronic low back pain, represents more than another milestone in drug development. It raises broader questions about how standardized cannabis-derived medicines could fit into evidence-based pain management and whether they could redefine the role of cannabis in chronic pain care.