British researchers publish their first findings on cannabis and long-form COVIDs

Researchers at Drug Science, the United Kingdom’s leading independent scientific organization in the field of drugs, have published the results of a world-first trial on the the potential of cannabis in managing the debilitating symptoms of long COVID.

Long COVID, characterized by persistent symptoms following a COVID-19 infection, continues to affect the lives of millions of people, posing a significant challenge for patients and healthcare providers.

In France, approximately 8% of people infected with COVID-19 are believed to suffer from long COVID, according to the survey «Long COVID – Post-COVID-19 Condition, Metropolitan France.».

Most symptoms—including fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and pain, as well as sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression—are also present in other conditions that can be treated with cannabis-based medications.

A review of existing research A study published last year by the same researchers at Drug Science identified «multiple lines of evidence» supporting the use of cannabis-based medications for long COVID.

The preliminary study, sponsored by the Australian pharmaceutical company Bod Healthcare, examined the safety and tolerability of its CBD oil, 5 % MediCabilis, a full-spectrum cannabis-based (CBD) medication, in the Treatment of Long COVID Symptoms.

A feasibility study was conducted with 12 participants diagnosed with long COVID. The participants received up to 3 ml of 5 % MediCabilis CBD oil per day for 5 months, followed by a reduction in the dose during the final month.

Questionnaires assessing health-related factors and daily symptom reports were collected. A Fitbit was also used to record key physiological measurements such as heart rate, activity, sleep, and oxygen saturation.

According to the study results, no participant reported any serious adverse effects, and the drug was found to be safe and well tolerated.

This preliminary study suggests that CBD-dominant cannabis-based medications are safe and well tolerated in people diagnosed with long COVID.

The authors conclude : «The study drug was safe and well tolerated, demonstrating the feasibility of CBD-dominant cannabis-based medical products for people diagnosed with long COVID. However, there were limitations in the study design related to the recruitment strategy, indicating a lack of feasibility in the approach implemented in this study. Future studies involving larger sample sizes and incorporating a control group are needed to test the efficacy of this treatment.».

Despite these limitations, researchers believe that the findings—along with the growing body of evidence regarding cannabis’s effectiveness in relieving symptoms characteristic of those experienced with long COVID—«lay the groundwork» for future research into its potential benefits for this condition.

Dr. Anne Schlag, CEO of Drug Science and head of research, commented on the study: «This is an exciting feasibility study that demonstrates both the safety and good tolerability of medical cannabis with a high CBD content for the treatment of long COVID, thereby offering a potential new avenue for treating this challenging and still poorly understood condition.»

«With our recently launched pharmaceutical science consulting firm, we look forward to conducting further innovative research on medical cannabis to further expand the scientific evidence base and, ultimately, ensure that all patients who need it have access to this medication.»