South Africa’s Dr Shiksha Gallow, is increasingly sought after on the global stage for her groundbreaking research into the use of cannabis in the treatment and prevention of prostate cancer. This follows her pioneering research last year on cannabis as a substitute for opioids in pain management.
It’s been a dizzy year for Dr Gallow. In February she was invited as a keynote speaker at the United in Compassion Medical Cannabis Conference in Brisbane, Australia where she’s networked with respected cannabis pioneers in international cannabis such as Prof Dedi Meiri, Prof Iain McGregor and Dr Dustin Sulak – and the late Olivia Newton-John’s husband, John Easterling!
Then two months ago Dr Gallow took centre stage at the the world’s largest medical cannabis conference, CannMed, in Puerto Rico, at which she delivered the keynote address, unveiling her research findings on cannabis and the treatment of prostate cancer. Her message? That cannabis, when paired with chemotherapy, demonstrated a clear association with improved treatment response — especially in pain management and in enhancing quality of life. This may well redefine prostate cancer care worldwide.
The prostate cancer research builds on her 2024 clinical trials showing cannabis can outperform opioids in managing chronic pain — findings she has already presented internationally, including in the Philippines, where her voice contributed to the push for medical cannabis legalization.
After the Puerto Rico CannMed conference, Dr Gallow visited Costa Rica where she runs a holistic healing hub where doctors prescribe cannabis legally, and her own product range is currently undergoing registration.
Now she’s off to Naples in her quest to build systems to support medical cannabis globally. She will be presenting two papers at the 73rd International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research (GA), which is being held jointly with Italian Society of Phytochemistry (SIF), from August 31 to September 3, 2025.
The meeting is a gathering for scientists working with natural products in ethnobiology, ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology.
Amongst the topics under the Naples spotlight will be:
· the chemistry and bioactivity of natural products (including terrestrial and marine source),
· bioengineering, bioinformatics and chemoinformatics in natural products drug discovery;
· biodiversity, circular bioeconomy, innovative green extraction procedures and climate change;
· herbal medicinal products, natural cosmetics, nutraceutics, and food supplements from conception to the market;
· botanical safety assessments;
· essential oils – clinical and environmental uses;
· cutting edge technologies in natural product drug discovery, formulation and development;
· fungi as medicines and functional foods – their potential and risks;
· botanicals in veterinary medicine and feed.
Given the range of topics above, Dr Gallow is understandably excited about Naples: “This is not a cannabis conference, and is a huge step in breaking barriers” she told Cannabiz Africa on 28 August 2025 before her departure.
“I have been invited to present two papers, one on the opioid research and the other on the prostate cancer research. I have also been invited to join the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research in Italy, of which I am now a member”.
She says international interest in the medical benefits of cannabis is surging, albeit unevenly.
“Globally, medical cannabis research is gaining momentum, yet challenges such as regulatory barriers and funding limitations continue to slow progress—especially in low- and middle-income countries” she says.
“In South Africa, research involving human clinical trials remains limited, primarily due to the high costs and strict regulatory framework involved”
Dr Gallow takes these challenges in her stride and as she pushes the medical cannabis envelope. She was recently been appointed as a Clinical Research Associate at Tshwane University of Technology, where she will lecture students on medical cannabis and supervise Master’s and PhD candidates pursuing research in this field—an important step toward building local academic capacity.
In addition, Dr. Gallow has been appointed as the Principal Investigator at the University of Pretoria, within the SCIPP Division, for all cannabis and cancer-related clinical research. Her academic affiliations with international institutions and her efforts to bridge these with South African universities hold great promise for accelerating high-quality, collaborative cannabis research across the continent.
From East London to the world, Dr Shiksha Gallow is proving that South Africa’s medical cannabis research isn’t just growing — it’s flourishing. And as she takes the stage in Italy, there’s no doubt: this doctor is blazing a trail for science, patients, and the future of medicine.
By forging collaborations between international institutions and South African universities, she’s opening doors for Africa to become a real player in cannabis science.
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