A large-scale observational study of medical cannabis, originally launched in the UK, is now in Australia and looking for participants.
The Twenty21 project was launched in 2019 with the aims of establishing the largest body of evidence in the UK on the efficacy and tolerance of medical cannabis, and providing patients with access to medicines at reduced prices.
This latter goal was achieved through partnerships with licensed producers to subsidize the cost; the counterpart being that the patients had to consent to their medical data being collected by the organization leading the initiative, drug science.
Although the scheme fell short of its ambitious target of reaching 20,000 patients at the end of last year, with only 2,000 patients registered, it has been extended until the end of 2022 in the UK. This extension is accompanied by changes in the pricing of medical cannabis.
Extension to Australia
drug science announced that the project would also operate in Australia in conjunction with theAustralasian College of Cannabinoid Medicine (ACCM), the research arm of Releaf Group.
The Australian part of the study of the Twenty21 project, which will be carried out in the Releaf Clinics, will focus on collecting data on the efficacy and safety of medical cannabis in the treatment of chronic pain, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and multiple sclerosis. People participating in the study will be required to complete online questionnaires every three months for 12 months.
“By engaging at least 1,000 patients locally, we intend to track the outcomes of their medical cannabis treatments to gain valuable insights that will help improve patient care in Australia,” said the director. scientist of Releaf Group and researcher, Professor Kylie O’Brien.
Among other criteria, eligible participants must be about to see or have just seen a clinician in the Releaf Clinics. People already using cannabis for medical purposes cannot participate. Cannabis-based medications prescribed to study participants will be available at a discounted price for the duration of their participation.
More information about the study and participation is available here.
The results of the study will be made public on the ACCM website and submitted to peer-reviewed journals for publication.
