Patient priorities for research: A focus group study of UK medical cannabis patients
Author(s)
Erridge, Simon
Olsson, Fabian
Sodergren, Mikael H
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: There has yet to be an evaluation of medical cannabis patient preferences with respect to future research. As such, prioritisation of research agendas has been largely driven by academia and industry. The primary aim of this study was to elicit priorities for research from medical cannabis patients in the United Kingdom (UK). METHODS: Patients undergoing active treatment for health conditions with medical cannabis in the UK were invited to take part in focus groups from December 2021 to February 2022. An inductive thematic analysis of responses was performed. Participants also completed a ranking exercise whereby they assigned ten counters (each equivalent to £1 million GBP) to competing research priorities. RESULTS: 30 medical cannabis patients participated across 3 focus groups. The following themes were identified as research priorities: adverse events, comparison between cannabis-based medicinal products, health conditions, pharmacology of cannabis, types of study, healthcare professionals' attitudes, social environment, agriculture and manufacturing, and the cannabis plant. Participants assigned the highest proportion of research funding to 'assessment of effect on specific symptoms' (26 counters; 8.7%). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted specific themes within which to focus future research on medical cannabis. Clinically, there was a directive towards ensuring that research is condition- or symptom-specific. Participants also emphasised themes on the social impact of medical cannabis, such as knowledge of medical cannabis among healthcare professionals, stigma, and effects on driving and in the workplace. These findings can guide both research funders and researchers into effectively conducting research which fits within a more patient-centric model.
Date Issued
2023-02-01
Date Acceptance
2022-11-06
Citation
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2023, 50
ISSN
1744-3881
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice
Volume
50
Copyright Statement
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36399996
PII: S1744-3881(22)00161-X
Subjects
Focus group
Medical cannabis
Patient participation
Research priorities
Humans
Medical Marijuana
Cannabis
Focus Groups
Health Personnel
United Kingdom
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
ARTN 101693
Date Publish Online
2022-11-12