@article{ref1,
title="The Quebec Cannabis Registry: investigating the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis",
journal="Cannabis and cannabinoid research",
year="2022",
author="Vigano, Antonio and Moride, Yola and Hachem, Yasmina and Canac-Marquis, Michelle and Gamaoun, Rihab and Kalaba, Maja and Martel, Marc O. and Perez, Jordi and Néron, Andrée and Beaulieu, Pierre and Desroches, Julie and Ware, Mark",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis (MC) in the real-world clinical practice setting. <br><br>DESIGN: A 4-year prospective noncomparative registry of adult patients who initiated MC for a variety of indications. This paper reports on patients followed for up to 12 months, with interim visits at 3, 6, and 9 months after enrollment. Setting: Public or private outpatient clinics certified to authorize MC in the province of Quebec, Canada. Participants: Overall, 2991 adult (age ≥18 years) patients (mean age 51 years; 50.2% women) were enrolled between May 2015 and October 2018, with the last follow-up ending in May 2019. Interventions/Exposures: Cannabis products (dried, oil, or other) purchased from a Canadian licensed cannabis producer as authorized by physicians. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcomes were self-reported pain severity, interference and relief (Brief Pain Inventory [BPI]), symptoms using the Revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-r) and health-related quality of life dimensions (EQ-5D-5L) at baseline and each follow-up visit. The secondary outcomes were self-reported adverse events (AEs) and characteristics of cannabis treatment. <br><br>RESULTS: All patient-reported outcomes (BPI, ESAS-r, and EQ-5D-5L) showed a statistically significant improvement at 3 months (all p<0.01), which was maintained or further improved (for pain interference, tiredness, and well-being) over the remainder of the 12-month follow-up. <br><br>RESULTS also revealed clinically significant improvements in pain interference and tiredness, anxiety, and well-being from baseline. There were 79 AE reports (77 patients), 16 met the regulatory definition of seriousness, in which only 8 AEs were certainly or probably related to MC. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: MC directed by physicians appears to be safe and effective within 3 months of initiation for a variety of medical indications.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2578-5125",
doi="10.1089/can.2022.0041",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/can.2022.0041"
}