vol1 - Page 256
Page 256
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IND/NDA review officer forthe FDA) are uniform in their judgment
:_. that Mr. Randall has lost extensive vision to glaucoma ands
absent surgical intervention or the introduction of marijuana as
an lOP-lowering agent, he would be forced into surgery or go
blind°
TkTee witnesses in this proceeding -- Drs. Hepler,
Mez_±tt and North -- have evaluated M_. Randall's response to
marijuana therapy and all three have reached the same clinical
Judgment -- marijuana affords Mr. Randall with a critically
needed reduction in ocular tensions. D_rSo Merritt and North, who
have provided marijuana to Mr. Randall in the context of long-
term medical therapies, have conducted visual field tests and
have independently concluded that marijuana-induced reductions in
lOP have prevented further injury to Mr. Randall_s optic discs.
Xn his court testimony_ Dro Merritt -- who treated
Mr. Randall from November, 1976_ through January, 1978, states:
_[Randall's visual fields] did not progress over the 14 months
that I took care of him. n 77_/
Dr. North, who has treated Mr. Randall with marijuana
since May, 1978, states the matter more precisely:
Marijuana is not merely effective_ it is
critical to the medical control of this
patientSs glaucoma ....
This control over lOP has halted progressive
damage to the optic discs MIo Randall's
57_/ (.°°continued)
572/ Cross-examination of Dr. Richard North Tr. 7-88_ _Without
marijuana [Mr. Randall] would have been blindo n
7_/ Cross_examination of Dr_ John Merritt, Tr. 10-46.
183 -
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