doi: 10.1055/a-2261-2269.
- PMID: 38471525
- DOI: 10.1055/a-2261-2269
Abstract
Background: Up to now, it is unclear whether different medicinal cannabis (MC) strains are differently efficacious across different medical conditions. In this study, the effectiveness of different MC strains was compared depending on the disease to be treated.
Methods: This was an online survey conducted in Germany between June 2020 and August 2020. Patients were allowed to participate only if they received a cannabis-based treatment from pharmacies in the form of cannabis flowers prescribed by a physician.
Results: The survey was completed by n=1,028 participants. Most participants (58%) have used MC for more than 1 year, on average, 5.9 different strains. Bedrocan (pure tetrahydrocannabinol to pure cannabidiol [THC:CBD]=22:<1) was the most frequently prescribed strain, followed by Bakerstreet (THC:CBD=19:<1) and Pedanios 22/1 (THC:CBD=22:1). The most frequent conditions MC was prescribed for were different pain disorders, psychiatric and neurological diseases, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Overall, the mean patient-reported effectiveness was 80.1% (range, 0-100%). A regression model revealed no association between the patient-reported effectiveness and the variety. Furthermore, no influence of the disease on the choice of the MC strain was detected. On average, 2.1 side effects were reported (most commonly dry mouth (19.5%), increased appetite (17.1%), and tiredness (13.0%)). However, 29% of participants did not report any side effects. Only 398 participants (38.7%) indicated that costs for MC were covered by their health insurance.
Conclusions: Patients self-reported very good efficacy and tolerability of MC. There was no evidence suggesting that specific MC strains are superior depending on the disease to be treated.
The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Conflict of interest statement
Kirsten Müller-Vahl has received financial or material research support from EU (FP7-HEALTH-2011 No. 278367, FP7-PEOPLE-2012-ITN No. 316978), DFG: GZ MU 1527/3-1 and GZ MU 1527/3-2, BMBF: 01KG1421, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Tourette Gesellschaft Deutschland e.V., Else-Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung, GW pharmaceuticals, Almirall, Abide Therapeutics, Emalex Biosciences, Inc., Noema Pharma, CannaXan, and Therapix Biosiences. She has received consultant’s and other honoraria from Abide Therapeutics, adjupharm, Alexion, AMP Alternative Medical Products GmbH, Ingelheim International GmbH, Bionorica Ethics GmbH, CannaMedical Pharma GmbH, Canopy Grouth, Columbia Care, CTC Communications Corp., Demecan, Enua pharma, Ethypharm GmbH, Eurox Group, Global Praxis Group Limited, Hormosan Pharma GmbH, Lundbeck, MCI Germany, Neuraxpharm, Noema Pharma, Sanity Group, Stadapharm GmbH, Synendos Therapeutics AG, Syqe, Tilray, and Zambon. She is an advisory/scientific board member for Alexion, Branchenverband Cannabiswirtschaft e.V. (BvCW), CannaMedical Pharma GmbH, Bionorica Ethics GmbH, CannaXan GmbH, Canopy Growth, Columbia Care, Ethypharm GmbH, Hormosan Pharma GmbH, IMC Germany, Leafly Deutschland GmbH, Neuraxpharm, Sanity Group, Stadapharm GmbH, Synendos Therapeutics AG, Syqe Medical Ltd., Therapix Biosciences Ltd., and Tilray. She has received speaker’s fees from Agaplesion Frankfurter Diakonie Kliniken gemeinnützige GmbH, Almirall, Aphria Deutschland GmbH, Arbeitsgemeinschaft Cannabis als Medizin (ACM), Astra Zeneca, Bedrocan, Branchenverband Cannabiswirtschaft e.V. (BvCW), Camurus, canymed GmbH, CEREBRO SPAIN BIDCO S.L, Cogitando GmbH, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik und Nervenheilkunde (DGPPN), Diplomado Internacional de Endocannabinología (Programa Universitario de Investigación en Salud – PUIS, UNAM), Dresden International University (DIU), Emalex, Eurox Deutschland GmbH, Ever pharma GmbH, Georgia Medical Cannabis Project (GMCP), GROW, Hessische Landesstelle für Suchtfragen e.V. (HLS), LIO Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Medizinischer Dienst Westfalen Lippe, Meinhardt Congress GmbH, PR Berater, Spectrum Therapeutics GmbH, Swiss Alpinopharm, targoEvent GmbH, Takeda GmbH, Tilray, von Mende Marketing GmbH, and Wayland Group. She has received royalties from Deutsches Ärzteblatt, Der Neurologie und Psychiater, Elsevier, Medizinisch Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Berlin, and Kohlhammer. She served as a guest editor for Frontiers in Neurology on the research topic “The neurobiology and genetics of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome: new avenues through large-scale collaborative projects”, is an associate editor for “Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research” and an Editorial Board Member of “Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids” und “MDPI-Reports” and a Scientific board member for “Zeitschrift für Allgemeinmedizin”. FG has received fees for consulting or speaking engagements from the following companies active in the cannabis field:Bionorica SE, Canify A/S , CannaXan, Demecan Holding GmbH, Drapalin Pharmaceuticals GmbH , Four 20 Pharma GmbH, GECA Pharma GmbH, Heyday AG, Materia Deutschland, Medican Pharma GmbH, MYCB1, Nature Bloom GmbH, Neuraxpharm, Oxygen Handel GmbH, Spectrum Therapeutics GmbH, STADA Arzneimittel AG, Storz & Bickel GmbH & Co. KG, Swiss Organic Partners AG, THC Pharm GmbH, Vayamed GmbH FH has received consultant’s and other honoraria from, Adjurpharm GmbH, Aurora Deutschland GmbH, Avextra, Dialectia, Columbia Care UK, Curaleaf, Dr. Reddeys, Enua, Ethypharm, Eumara, FAT-Moves UG, Grow Deutschland GmbH, Neuraxpharm, Nimbus Health GmbH, PR Berater, Remexian Pharma GmbH, Simon-Kucher and Partners, Stadapharm GmbH, Tilray Deutschland GmbH. He has received speaker’s fees from Canopy Growth Germany GmbH, Ethypharm, G. Pohl-Boskamp GmbH& Co. KG, INSIGHT Health GmbH, Medios AG, Neuraxpharm, Zambon GmbH EB worked for Anquor Pharmaceuticals between January 2020 to March 2020. NS has received financial and material research support by the research grant of the Medical University of Warsaw, Polish Ministry of Health, Polish Neurological Society, Foundation for Polish Research, European Stroke Organization, American Academy of Neurology, American Brain Foundation and Tourette Association of America. She has received honoraria from Biogen and 90 Consulting.
