Breakdown of therapeutic cannabis trial patients revealed

While the specifications for therapeutic cannabis trials was published last week, this week the ANSM is completing one of the missing points in the trial, namely the distribution of the 3,000 patients according to the 5 therapeutic conditions selected.

The 3,000 patients will be distributed as follows:

• neuropathic pain refractory to accessible therapies (drug or non-drug): 750 patients
• certain forms of drug-resistant epilepsy: 500 patients
• certain unresponsive symptoms in oncology, related to cancer or anticancer treatment: 500 patients
• palliative situations: 500 patients
• painful spasticity due to multiple sclerosis or other central nervous system pathologies: 750 patients

As the ANSM points out, «this distribution, established in consultation with representatives of healthcare professionals and patients, may be adapted during the course of the trial according to needs and deployment in real-life situations».»

It should be remembered that the prescription of medical cannabis is no longer limited to the absence of therapeutic alternatives, but more broadly to cases of insufficient relief or poor tolerance of available medicinal or non-medicinal therapies.

Patient allocation will also be useful for producers wishing to supply all or part of the cannabis products, so that «they can plan the quantities of the different forms and dosages of medical cannabis according to the indications».