A first-of-its-kind U.S. patent for a DNA test has been awarded to Endocanna Health for a test that helps consumers potentially avoid cannabis products that may cause negative health effects.
Emergency room visits resulting from cannabis consumption have skyrocketed where the plant is legal. In California, cannabis-related emergency care visits among those aged 65 and older rose 1,804% from 2005 to 2019. Such visits increased threefold in Colorado between 2012 and 2016 and increased fivefold in Ontario from 2003 to 2017.
Burbank, CA based Endocanna says its technology prevents cannabis-related emergency room visits by providing a consumer with a personalized view of how cannabinoids interact with their genetics and steering them to formulations more likely to provide a better health outcome.
“We know that everyone responds to cannabis products differently,” said Len May, CEO of Endocanna, in press release. “That’s why personalized cannabinoid therapeutics are essential to ensuring better health outcomes.”
Using an individual’s genetics, Endocanna says it can recommend precise cannabinoid ratios and terpene combinations as well as products that match those profiles. The DNA report each user receives is supported by peer-reviewed studies showing the association between each gene and condition. The company is also involved in multiple international clinical trials with research institutions to study the genetic markers for various conditions.