UK doctors have stated that cannabis “must be treated the same as any other medication” if we want to see large-scale prescriptions for medical use.
Currently, an estimated 40,000 specialist clinicians are eligible to prescribe cannabis, but the number of specialists who are actively prescribing cannabis is next to zero in comparison.
In a first-of-its-kind report, UK doctors have offered an insight into the challenges they face when prescribing cannabis for medicinal use.
The report, published by drug reform agency Volteface and titled Known Unknowns of Medical Cannabis, brought dozens of specialist consultants together to identify the most prominent barriers which prevent more cannabis prescriptions from being handed out.
The main challenges doctors face
Over 40 medical professionals were interviewed, many of them specialising in different fields such as pain, psychiatry, neurology, and rheumatology, among others.
Of the issues that were brought up, the primary ones included:
- Insufficient high-quality evidence
- Lack of governance
- Lack of education
- and lack of support
The majority of doctors actually stated an interest in prescribing medicinal cannabis, but they fear it isn’t being treated like any other medication.
In other words, they want concrete proof in the form of more randomised control trials.
Doctors believe that because cannabis is treated differently and tends to sidestep frameworks with which most medical professionals are familiar, the credibility of the drug’s efficacy is undermined.
Many specialists also felt the real-world evidence on medicinal cannabis was ‘biased’. They believe that people are exaggerating the perceived benefits of cannabis instead of ‘determining its true efficacy’.
Better evidence needed
Neurologist, Dr Chris Derry, said in an interview with CannabisHealthNews:
“The first thing that is needed from my perspective is standard, medical grade evidence, so RCTs of a pharmaceutical grade drug. Once you’ve got those, you have something to work from.”
While another doctor, Dr Euan Lawson, quoted: “We talk a lot about evidence for cannabis, but it is about the type of evidence too.
“Right now we’re seeing the sector trying to build evidence with biassed observational studies. The current model is giving cannabis to patients that want cannabis and want it to work.”
Potential risks
Psychiatrists were also among the specialists who were open to prescribing cannabis, but also had their concerns on THC in particular for the treatment of psychosis and complex mental health conditions.
They believe cannabis, specifically CBD, could be an effective treatment in conjunction with psychotherapy.
“You must understand the potential risks you run if you decide to treat it entirely different from any other drug. It’s nothing to do with doctors wanting to see cannabis fail, or deny cannabis to their patients, which is how we’re sometimes portrayed.” said Neurologist, Dr Richard Davenport.
He continued:
“Some of the high-profile child epilepsy things, they’re portrayed in a particularly unsympathetic and difficult manner that is really evil doctors trying to deny drugs to patients, risking their lives, which is very easy to write in a newspaper but is nonsense.”
Lack of training
An interesting insight into the paper revealed many doctors report a general lack of knowledge and training when it comes to cannabis.
In short, a lot of doctors in the UK are completely unaware of how cannabinoids interact with our endocannabinoid systems, along with the potential benefits and side effects of cannabis.
Additionally, administration methods and dosages were common problems reported by doctors.
UK-based GP, Dr Mark Smith, who has recently spent three years in Australia prescribing medicinal cannabis made comments on the difference between healthcare systems in the UK and down under.
“(In the UK) all specialists and GPs I know are still completely clueless about medical cannabis, because it’s not on their remit to know anything about it. They’re not encouraged to look into it so they have no idea of the market at all. There’s just so much education yet to be had.”
Are cannabis clinics an issue rather than beneficial?
Many Doctors also reported they are hesitant to prescribe medicinal cannabis through cannabis-specific clinics, with many suggesting they would rather prescribe through their own practices.
An anonymous interviewed Doctor remarked:
“A clinic dedicated to a single product inherently creates a prescribing bias, as opposed to encouraging an appropriate, balanced, and ethical approach.”
He continued: “Obviously if you go to that clinic, you’re going to attract people who want cannabis without any evidence. So, I am slightly concerned about these clinics and the bias and the motivations that are behind the people who run them.”
Source: CannabisHealthNews
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