Safety of CBD Confirmed Again
The research firm Validcare decided to test the safety of cannabidiol (CBD) products that are ingested orally. CBD products are currently not tested by the FDA for safety, and this has left CBD products open to criticism and claims they are unsafe. This was an important study for several reasons that included getting critical FDA feedback on the research protocol. It also confirmed previous research concerning CBD safety that was published on CBD.market.
The Validcare study had 1,061 participants, and acting as the contract research organization, contracted with 17 CBD companies. The study involved two cohorts. The first cohort study was peer-reviewed and published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Medicine in 2021. This research involved studying whether CBD products from 12 different manufacturers affected liver function in 839 people out of the 1,061 participants.
The second part of the research project involved all 1,061 participants taking CBD products manufactured by five more CBD companies. By doing the study in two steps and adding the 222 participants in the second phase, the results were more statistically reliable. Participants had been using CBD products before joining the research project. The results found that different products and different serving sizes did not elevate liver function, cause low testosterone levels or produce daytime drowsiness.
According to Dr. Robert Kaufmann, Director of Research at Validcare,
“The data in this study looks really good; it’s highly significant, and the chances of it being wrong are very, very small. I am very hopeful that this data will allow the FDA to regulate these popular CBD products.”
Many CBD producers, hemp farmers and users want CBD products regulated by the FDA. Producers and farmers want CBD products regulated so there are industry standards developed. Currently, a lack of federal regulation and a confusing variety of state laws makes it impossible to establish quality and safety standards on a national or industry basis. Consumers want to know of any potential consequences to their health and have more assurance products are labeled correctly.
The FDA has been slow to develop a regulatory approach because it says it needs more data. The Validcare study is a big step towards providing that data.
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