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A global study involving three clinical trials will investigate the effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) in treating people with psychosis or psychotic symptoms, thanks to a multi-million pound grant to Oxford University.

Medication bottles at a bottling plant © Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Wellcome has awarded Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry £16.5 million for the STEP (Stratification & Treatment in Early Psychosis) programme, as part of its support for mental health research.

The programme, led by Professor Philip McGuire, Professor of Psychiatry at Oxford, will involve 1,000 participants, including people at a clinically high risk for psychosis, people with first episode psychosis, and people with psychosis who have not responded to conventional treatment.

The programme involves 35 centres, mainly in Europe and North America, and will be co-ordinated from Oxford at the Prince of Wales International Centre for SANE Research.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals has supplied the cannabidiol for the trials at no cost.

Read the full story on the University of Oxford website