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There are a substantial number of medically-based trials that involve many publicly traded cannabis-related companies in Canada and around the world. Too many to list (but click here for a sample). But partnerships between Canadian cannabis companies and univer-sities and hospitals isn’t new. ABCann Global Corporation (TSXV: ABCN; OTC: ACBFF; FRA: 21P) has been partnering with the University of Guelph since January 1, 2015, and have dedicated a portion of its research lab solely for University of Guelph studies. Recently, the university published the “first of its kind” research paper studying the optimization of indoor growing. McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton, Ontario, are partnering to study marijuana’s effectiveness at its new state of the art facility, the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research. The University of New Brunswick announced it was partnering with St. Thomas University on the creation of a cannabis research “mini-cluster” in Fredericton, where $1 million will be allocated over 5 years towards various research initiatives involving cannabis. Research ranges from the economic impact of legalization to the psychosocial harm of chronic use. The New Brunswick Health Research Foundation provided $500,000 with private-sector partners chipping in the rest. Interestingly, private sector partners listed on the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation’s website are not names you may think of for cannabis research. Names such as Pfizer, Sanofi, Janssen (division of Johnson & Johnson), Merck, and other big pharma names. Perhaps this list is not exhaustive, or the “private-sector partners” mentioned in the press release are not cannabis sector companies, as immediately assumed. This hasn’t been confirmed as of the date of this publication. But seeing big pharma and connecting the dots (albeit very faint dots right now) to this press release, makes you wonder.