Initial data from the QUEST Initiative indicate that medicinal cannabis boosted both health outcomes and quality of life for patients within the first three months of their treatment.
The QUEST study tracked 2,327 Australian patients who were prescribed medicinal cannabis between November 2020 and December 2021. Ranging in age from 18 to 97, with an average age of 51, the participants were enrolled across six states through 120 independent doctors.
Among the group, the most prevalent conditions being treated were chronic pain (69%), sleep disorders (23%), anxiety (22%) and anxiety/depression (11%), with half the participants receiving treatment for more than one condition at a time.
Each participant completed a questionnaire at the outset of the study, then took part in follow-up surveys at two weeks and at one-to-two month intervals for up to a year.
The findings, published in the journal PLOS ONE, showed self-reported gains in health-related quality of life and reduced fatigue across all assessed conditions during the first three months of treatment.
Levels of anxiety, depression and pain also declined over the study period, though patients with sleep disorders showed no overall improvement.
While the researchers did not formally measure adverse effects, 30 patients dropped out of the study citing “unwanted side effects”.
The research team concluded: “We observed statistically significant, clinically meaningful improvements in overall health-related quality of life and fatigue over the first three months in patients with chronic health conditions accessing prescribed medical cannabis.
“Anxiety, depression and pain also improved over time, particularly for those with corresponding health conditions.”
Patient follow-up will continue through the 12-month mark to assess whether these improvements are sustained over the longer term.
Ananda Clinics medical director Dr Jamie Rickcord, who was involved in QUEST, said the results “show that medicinal cannabis provides statistically, and more importantly, clinically significant improvements in pain levels, fatigue and quality of life for patients”.
He added: “Doctors can have confidence in offering medicinal cannabis treatment as an option to those who qualify for it as result of emerging real-world data provided by initiatives such as QUEST.”
Led by the University of Sydney in conjunction with Little Green Pharma (LGP), the longitudinal study was named R&D Project of the Year in June.
Curtin University, LGP and the Health Insurance Fund of Australia have since partnered to launch QUEST Global, building on the success of the original study.
