Canadian researchers to develop first national database on effectiveness of medical cannabis

Canadian researchers are hoping to fill in the gaps regarding how effective medicinal marijuana is in treating adults with chronic pain, sleep, anxiety and depression issues as part of a new six-month study.

There’s been plenty of anecdotal evidence on what cannabis can do, but the idea is to flesh out the details and develop what is being touted as the first national database for medical cannabis products. “For the first time, we will have a national repository of data that can provide answers about the effectiveness of these products, to test their claims,” Dr. Hance Clarke, who is heading the study, according to the University Health Network (UHN).

That means researchers involved in the Medical Cannabis Real World Evidence study are on the hunt for at least 2,000 patients who have been prescribed medical weed for any of the aforementioned conditions.

“Patients using medical cannabis can experience a variety of effects depending on the strain and that variability is not accepted in the pharmaceutical industry,” says Dr. Clarke, director of pain services at Toronto General Hospital (TGH).

Participants will be able to select a wide variety of medical cannabis products — including milligrams of THC and CBD — each of which has been tested and verified to ensure batch consistency, notes the UHN, which includes TGH.

Using an online portal created by Canadian retail pharmacy chain, Shoppers Drug Mart, patients can access dried flower, oil extracts, edibles and topicals, and then report how a specific product addresses their specific symptoms.

Dr. Hance Clarke, director of pain services at Toronto General Hospital, is a recognized leader in educating Canadians about chronic pain management and the risk factors of continued opioid use. / Photo: University Health Network / Photo: University Health Network

“Our development of a blockchain secured initiative, with TruTrace Technologies Inc., has now been integrated into an operational portal that will provide products with an immutable digital identity, that can capture everything from detailed chemistry down to its DNA,” Ken Weisbrod, vice president of business development/cannabis strategy for Shoppers, says in a statement.

Consistency is crucial to getting a handle on effects, Dr. Clarke suggests. “The challenge with the medical use of cannabis is that physicians and patients are unsure of the quality of products being consumed,” he explains.

Patients can access dried flower, oil extracts, edibles and topicals. / iStock / Getty Images Plus iStock / Getty Images Plus

The expectation is that the study will offer “the same rigour around medical cannabis that is demanded of any other pharmaceutical product,” notes the UHN statement.

While medical cannabis users have long touted its efficacy in treating chronic plain, “we need the evidence to help us in prescribing the appropriate validated product, at the right dose, for the right patient,” Dr. Clarke adds, something that will offer patients and physicians alike greater confidence in the plant.

A number of cannabis companies and licensed producers have announced their participation in the study, including The Valens Company, Radient Technologies and WeedMD, all of which will make select products available.

“Providing patients and medical professionals with trusted products that deliver repeatable results is a crucial step in having cannabis incorporated into medical treatments.” / Photo: undefined undefined / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Photo: undefined undefined / iStock / Getty Images Plus

“To be able to participate in this real-world study and have the opportunity to understand how our products could be used as a treatment is an exciting step in the right direction for us,” says Tyler Robson, CEO of Valens, which will have a line of THC and CBD oils available as part of the study.

“Providing patients and medical professionals with trusted products that deliver repeatable results is a crucial step in having cannabis incorporated into medical treatments,” adds Denis Taschuk, CEO of Radient Technologies, which is providing three oral spray formulations to the study.

“Recognizing the importance of strain validation as cannabis products advance through Canada’s medical and pharmaceutical channels is paramount for building trust and accountability in our industry,” says Angelo Tsebelis, CEO of WeedMD.