Canada needs new prescription guidelines for medical marijuana

#CanadianFamilyPhysicianJournal, #MedicalMarijuana, #Canabis, #Mike Allan, #AlbertaCollegeofFamilyPhysicians, B.C.

Ottawa, Feb 17 (Canadian-Media): The guidelines published Thursday in the Canadian Family Physician journal based on a review of clinical trials involving medical cannabis. pointed out an overstatement of benefits of medical marijuana while research in its medicinal properties was lacking, media reports said.

Cannabis. Image credit: Facebook page

There is an urgent need for Canadian doctorsthink twice before prescribing the drug, said Mike Allan, director of evidence-based medicine at the University of Alberta.and who led the research team.

"For most things we shouldn't be recommending it, because we don't have enough research to say if the benefits of the therapy outweigh the risks of the therapy," Allan was reported to state.

Number of randomized studies involving medical cannabis, in most cases was insufficient, research existed in only in the rare instances, the studies were narrow in scope or poorly executed Guideline authors including Allan reportedly said.

Family doctors in Canada, reportedly lacking reliable data on the benefits of medical marijuana, had been increasingly pressurized by patients asking for medicinal pot.

'In general we're talking a bubout one study, and often very poorly done.'- Dr. Mike Allan

Medical marijuana prescriptions in Canada is reportedly expected to rise after marijuana is legalized this summer.

Alberta has already reportedly seen a rise in doctors prescribing marijuana to 50 percent in 4 months.

"In many areas, the research was actually absent or so limited that you really couldn't make a call," said Allan.

Alberta College of Family Physicians in 2017 summarized the scientific literature prepared by by a trio of advisories showed lack of reliable data for medicinal marijuana benefits.

According to the citations of documents released by Colleges of physicians and surgeons in both British Columbia and Alberta reportedly witnessed the similar lack of reliable evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of cannabis as medication.

Medical colleges have reportedly cautioned physicians against prescribing marijuana and have released some general guidelines for primary-care providers.

A committee of 10 medical professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses and patients had overseen the research and was peer-reviewed by 40 others.

​The authoritative document intended as a new protocol for doctors' use when deciding whether or not to prescribe marijuana will reportedly be distributed to 30,000 physicians across Canada.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)​