Who is asking about medicinal cannabis in palliative care?

Abstract

Following legislative changes in the availability and prescribing of medicinal cannabis in Australia, we sought to understand prospectively the nature of information seeking and requests for medicinal cannabis in consultations between palliative care clinicians and patients with cancer. The 104 discussions were overwhelmingly initiated by patients and carers (93%) and were for a variety of symptoms, reflecting high levels of patient interest in the use of medicinal cannabis in cancer. AbstractPsittacosis is a human systemic disease caused by infection with Chlamydia psittaci. Shortly after reports emerged of a global pandemic associated with contact with imported parrots, Australian researchers including Macfarlane Burnet and others demonstrated that C. psittaci was widespread in Australian parrots. Australian cases over the last two decades have revealed that environmental exposure and contact with infected horses are also risk factors in an increasingly complicated epidemiological picture for this zoonotic disease.

Using a qualitative sub-study to inform the design and delivery of randomised controlled trials on medicinal cannabis for symptom relief in patients with advanced cancer

“…Interest in medicinal cannabis is high [ 26 ], driven by strong public interest and word of mouth [ 35 ]. It is noteworthy that few interviewees in this study described seeking or receiving information about medicinal cannabis from a health care professional, instead more often opting to obtain information and opinions from popular media, family, and friends.…”

“…As such, suggestions within the RCT recruitment literature that focus on increasing awareness of the health problem and of the benefits of the intervention [ 7 , 9 ] are to some degree already attended to within the context of RCTs of medicinal cannabis in advanced cancer care settings—patients have a high level of awareness of the intervention. Health professionals, however, need a stronger evidence base to guide patients with confidence [ 26 ], and this warrants further RCTs into medicinal cannabis in palliative and other care settings.…”

“…Available studies show few Australian participants hold concerns related to adverse effects; a minority believe cannabis might cure cancer [ 40 , 41 , 43 , 44 ]. Overall, however, little is known about Australian patients’ perceptions of medicinal cannabis and even less is known about enablers and barriers to recruiting patients with advanced cancer to medicinal cannabis RCTs [ 26 , 35 ].…”

Fact versus fiction: bridging contrasting medicinal cannabis information needs

“…This was evident in the present study where consumer participants suggested they understood medicinal cannabis may be a treatment of cancer itself. This view was also held by 25% of patients requesting medicinal cannabis in outpatient clinics 19 . To address this misunderstanding directly, the developed resource states that medicinal cannabis is not a cancer treatment.…”

Framing the use of cannabis as a medicine in New Zealand: Regulatory, Clinician and Patient contexts

“…stated that they believed it was efficacious or were using it in part for cancer treatment, 243,244 with further studies reporting patient discussions regarding this intent. 245,246 This disparate belief in efficacy is in part driven by patient access to curative claims made on the internet where patient testimonials and anecdotal evidence appears to support such claims. 247 Published case reports provide legitimacy, 248,249 while there are a lack of randomised controlled trials against which doctors can form evidence-based decisions.…”