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Busse JW, Vankrunkelsven P, Zeng L, Heen AF, Merglen A, Campbell F, Granan LP, Aertgeerts B, Buchbinder R, Coen M, Juurlink D, Samer C, Siemieniuk RAC, Kumar N, Cooper L, Brown J, Lytvyn L, Zeraatkar D, Wang L, Guyatt GH, Vandvik PO, Agoritsas T. Medical cannabis or cannabinoids for chronic pain: a clinical practice guideline. BMJ 2021; 374:n2040. [PMID: 34497062 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.n2040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
CLINICAL QUESTION What is the role of medical cannabis or cannabinoids for people living with chronic pain due to cancer or non-cancer causes? CURRENT PRACTICE Chronic pain is common and distressing and associated with considerable socioeconomic burden globally. Medical cannabis is increasingly used to manage chronic pain, particularly in jurisdictions that have enacted policies to reduce use of opioids; however, existing guideline recommendations are inconsistent, and cannabis remains illegal for therapeutic use in many countries. RECOMMENDATION The guideline expert panel issued a weak recommendation to offer a trial of non-inhaled medical cannabis or cannabinoids, in addition to standard care and management (if not sufficient), for people living with chronic cancer or non-cancer pain. HOW THIS GUIDELINE WAS CREATED An international guideline development panel including patients, clinicians with content expertise, and methodologists produced this recommendation in adherence with standards for trustworthy guidelines using the GRADE approach. The MAGIC Evidence Ecosystem Foundation (MAGIC) provided methodological support. The panel applied an individual patient perspective. THE EVIDENCE This recommendation is informed by a linked series of four systematic reviews summarising the current body of evidence for benefits and harms, as well as patient values and preferences, regarding medical cannabis or cannabinoids for chronic pain. UNDERSTANDING THE RECOMMENDATION The recommendation is weak because of the close balance between benefits and harms of medical cannabis for chronic pain. It reflects a high value placed on small to very small improvements in self reported pain intensity, physical functioning, and sleep quality, and willingness to accept a small to modest risk of mostly self limited and transient harms. Shared decision making is required to ensure patients make choices that reflect their values and personal context. Further research is warranted and may alter this recommendation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W Busse
- Michael G DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Patrick Vankrunkelsven
- Belgian Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (CEBAM), Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Katholieke Universiteiti Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Linan Zeng
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Pharmacy Department/Evidence-based Pharmacy Centre, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Anja Fog Heen
- Department of Medicine, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Gjøvik, Norway
| | - Arnaud Merglen
- Division of General Pediatrics, University Hospitals of Geneva & Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Fiona Campbell
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lars-Petter Granan
- Department of Pain Management and Research, Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bert Aertgeerts
- Academic Centre for General Practice, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven
- CEBAM, Belgian Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, Cochrane Belgium
| | - Rachelle Buchbinder
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Cabrini Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Matteo Coen
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
- Unit of Development and Research in Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David Juurlink
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Caroline Samer
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Geneva University Hospitals
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Reed A C Siemieniuk
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nimisha Kumar
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Lynn Cooper
- Canadian Injured Workers' Alliance, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - John Brown
- Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Lyubov Lytvyn
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dena Zeraatkar
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Gordon H Guyatt
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Per O Vandvik
- Department of Medicine, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Gjøvik, Norway
| | - Thomas Agoritsas
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Division General Internal Medicine & Division of Clinical Epidemiology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland
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