https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/no-government-funded-medical-cannabis-clinical-trials-ongoing-nihr-confirms

The main difficulties in carrying out research on medicinal cannabis:

1. Difficulties in ensuring the supply of cannabidiol:

The CANTOP-RCT study, which aimed to evaluate cannabidiol as a treatment for psychosis, was canceled due to difficulty in securing a consistent supply of cannabidiol for the study.

The production of cannabidiol for research purposes is complex and requires compliance with strict regulatory standards.

2. Methodological challenges:

Cannabis is a botanical medicine with hundreds of components in varying proportions, which makes it difficult to carry out double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, considered the gold standard for clinical research.

Real-world observational studies may be better suited to evaluating medicinal cannabis, but these studies are often considered less reliable by the NIHR.

3. Lack of funding:

Despite the legalization of medicinal cannabis in the UK in 2018, the NIHR has only funded three studies on the topic, none of which have been completed.

An invitation for medical cannabis research in 2018-2019 received only one request, which was subsequently declined.

4. Lack of interest from pharmaceutical companies:

Cannabis companies can sell their products as unlicensed medicines, which means there is less incentive to invest in rigorous clinical studies.

The traditional pharmaceutical evaluation process can be expensive and time-consuming, which can discourage cannabis companies.

5. Lack of knowledge and expertise:

There is a lack of knowledge and expertise in clinical research on medical cannabis among researchers and healthcare professionals. This can hamper the development and implementation of well-designed studies with reliable results.



Other difficulties:

Medical cannabis does not fit into the traditional model of drug evaluation.

The NIHR prioritizes research that fits within the traditional pharmaceutical evaluation process.

There is a lack of mechanisms for evaluating "botanical medicines" like cannabis.

Possible solutions:

Develop alternative research methods that are suitable for medical cannabis.

Increase funding for medical cannabis research.

Encourage collaboration between researchers, healthcare professionals and cannabis companies.

Create training programs to increase knowledge and expertise in medical cannabis clinical research.

Possible solutions for the UK and other countries where medicinal cannabis is authorized.

The NIHR should review its funding policies to include real-world observational studies on medicinal cannabis.

The UK government must create a specific regulatory framework for clinical research into medicinal cannabis.

Cannabis companies must invest in rigorous clinical studies to provide scientific evidence on the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis.