UK medical cannabis study finds anxiety, pain, and sleep improvements
pharmafile | May 19, 2021 | News story | Research and Development |
The first ever UK medical cannabis study has found significant improvements in anxiety, pain, and sleep in patients following treatment with cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs).
These patients are amongst the first to be prescribed this treatment in the UK since legalisation of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) on prescription in November 2018.
Results of the first cohort of patients captured in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry have been published in the international medical journal Neuropsychopharmacology Reports.
Analysis of patient-reported outcome measures following treatment with CBMPs in this study found statistically significant improvements in anxiety, pain, and sleep quality scores as well as general quality of life at one- and three-months following treatment.
The study analysed clinical outcomes of the first 129 patients enrolled in the registry and found that CBMPs were well tolerated with a side effect rate of 24 per 100 patients which compares favourably to painkillers such as morphine or codeine.
The UK Medical Cannabis Registry is the first such database in the UK and has been set up by clinicians at Sapphire Medical Clinics (also known as Sapphire Medical), a medical cannabis clinic, and is open to all UK patients.
The UK Medical Cannabis Registry records patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs), clinical effectiveness measures, and adverse event questionnaires which are remotely administered to patients through an online web‐based platform at baseline, one month, three months, six months, and then six-monthly intervals thereafter. This forms part of its real-world evidence platform which now includes over 2,000 patients.
Dr Simon Erridge, Head of Research and Access at Sapphire Medical said: “We are very pleased to see the first peer reviewed publication of outcomes of medical cannabis patients since legalisation in print, which suggests that these treatments are safe and well tolerated in this patient group.
“By placing data collection at the heart of our clinical processes we hope to contribute to the evidence base and thereby allow more patients to access these treatments on the NHS.”
Laura Drummond, 40, a patient who is prescribed medical cannabis for a persistent pain condition fibromyalgia, said: “I’ve been a medical cannabis patient at Sapphire Medical Clinics for over a year now and love the idea of contributing to the registry and growing evidence which no doubt will help many others in the future.
“My journey with treatment has reduced my pain but more significantly, improved my sleep and the ability to enjoy quality time with my young daughter.”
Lilly Subbotin
