Medicinal cannabis in palliative medicine: lessons learnt from randomised controlled trials

Abstract

ObjectivesTo detail important lessons learnt while conducting several large, medicinal cannabis (MC) randomised clinical trials in a palliative cancer population.MethodsInvestigators involved in these trials had several meetings to agree on the major lessons learnt and how the various challenges could be mitigated in the future.ResultsThe lessons were sorted into separate categories: patient confidentiality, family dynamics, driving, cost, unfounded beliefs, accessing specific MC products, trial funding, telehealth and COVID-19, and miscellaneous issues.ConclusionUsing MC as the intervention arm in such trials entails some unique regulatory, logistical and other challenges. This short report presents key lessons learnt in conducting these randomised controlled trials in a palliative care population for the benefit of future investigators planning similar trials in a similar patient population.