Efficacy and safety of paediatric medicinal cannabis use: A scoping review

Efficacy and safety of paediatric medicinal cannabis use: A scoping review

Pawliuk C; Chau B; Rassekh SR; McKellar T; Siden H

Paediatrics and Child Health

2021

Cannabidiol; Cannabis; Drug-resistant epilepsy; Medicinal marijuana; Scoping review; Tetrahydrocannabinoid; Medicinal Cannabis

INTRODUCTION: The use of medicinal cannabis in the paediatric age group is increasing despite the lack of evidence for its efficacy or safety. OBJECTIVE: To map the available evidence on the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis in children and adolescents. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review and searched six electronic databases and grey literature. A study was eligible for inclusion when it investigated the efficacy or safety of medicinal cannabis for any condition, more than half of the participants were 0 to 18 years old, and had any study design except single case reports. RESULTS: We included 36 studies in our final analysis, 32 of which investigated the efficacy or safety of cannabis in treatment-resistant epilepsy. The remaining 4 studies examined patients with cancer, dysautonomia, Epidermolysis Bullosa, and motor disorders. CONCLUSIONS: There is a lack of evidence on the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis in most paediatric conditions.

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