Medicinal Cannabis 101 for Physicians with Jason Iannuccilli MD
Aaron Fritts MD
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist, Co-Founder and CEO of BackTable
In this episode, Dr. Jason Iannuccilli dives into the history, science, and future directions of medical cannabis. We learn about Dr. Iannuccilli’s founding vision for PureVita Labs, a company focused on developing standardized testing for cannabis products and ensuring consumer safety.?
Dr. Iannuccilli starts by describing his former interventional oncology practice in Rhode Island. His interest in medical marijuana grew as he frequently found himself in conversations with terminal cancer patients who sought his medical advice to navigate the variety of products. As he learned more about this craft industry, he realized that there could be significant variations between each product type, brand, and even within each batch. With co-founders Dr. Jonathan Martin and Dr. Stuart Procter, he started the entrepreneurial journey of building a laboratory that uses innovative techniques to test and label products with accuracy. The team hopes to continue growing their services and eventually through artificial intelligence, build a platform that can recommend products to each individual consumer that will ensure them a predictable experience based on their desired therapeutic outcome.
“Plant based medicine has never gained as much traction as pharmaceuticals— they are whole plant experiences, and sometimes we don't know which active ingredients are contributing to effects. Dosing has always been a problem with botanical medicines. How can we consistently deliver the same experience and ensure that the active ingredients are all in there? Cannabis was available in pharmacies up until the 1900s, and it was used for a vast array of household ailments. but politics wiped it off the map. Now we have better technology and ways to administer it. It's not all about the THC, and this mindset is destroying the industry. It’s not all about getting high. It's about finding what’s right for you, in the right ratio of active ingredients and using it in the right way.”
Throughout this episode, we discuss social stereotypes and political challenges that the cannabis industry has faced in the past decades. We move past the mistaken idea that active ingredients of marijuana always cause mental dullness and lethargy, and we bring the conversation down to a molecular level to discuss CB1 receptors and anti-inflammatory benefits, and pain relief.?
Finally, the doctors discuss fundraising for a nontraditional business pursuit. Dr. Iannuccilli shares how the vape crisis was a pivotal point– it served as a wake-up call for consumers and investors, leading to higher recognition of the importance of more stringent and standardized product testing. PureVita Labs has started to fundraise through friends and family with convertible notes, which are structured loans with set interest rates that allow the investor to either pull out their initial investment plus interest, or roll that value into equity once the company has established its valuation.?
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Resources
Pure Vita Labs:
The Bartholomewtown Podcast- Ep. 101, “Inside RI Cannabis”
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