![\"medicinal](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/medicinal-cannabis.jpg\" "\\"Credit:")
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Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain<\/p>\n
Patients prescribed medicinal cannabis in Australia maintained improvements in overall health-related quality of life (HRQL), fatigue, and sleep disturbance across a one-year period, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS One<\/a> by Margaret-Ann Tait from The University of Sydney, Australia, and colleagues.<\/p>\n Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and pain also improved over time for those with corresponding health conditions.<\/p>\n Research into the therapeutic benefits of medicinal cannabis<\/a> has increased since the discovery of the analgesic properties in cannabis plant compounds.<\/p>\n In 2016, advocacy groups<\/a> lobbied the Australian government to bring about legislation changes that allow patients who were not responding to conventional treatment to access medicinal cannabis with a prescription from clinicians. More than one million new patients in Australia have received medicinal cannabis prescriptions for more than 200 health conditions.<\/p>\n A multicenter prospective study called the QUEST initiative (QUality of life Evaluation STudy) recruited adult patients<\/a> with any chronic health condition<\/a> newly prescribed medicinal cannabis oil between November 2020 and December 2021.<\/p>\n Tait and colleagues gathered 12-month follow-up data to determine if previously reported improvements at three months would be maintained long-term. Of 2744 consenting participants who completed baseline assessments, 2353 also completed at least one follow-up questionnaire and were included in analyses, with completion rates declining to 778\/2353 (38%) at 12 months.<\/p>\n Participants with clinician-diagnosed conditions completed questionnaires covering condition-specific symptoms, and HRQL, which encompasses physical, emotional, social, and cognitive function, as well as bodily discomfort.<\/p>\n The researchers found that short-term improvements in overall HRQL reported at three months were maintained over a 12-month period in patients prescribed medicinal cannabis in Australia. People with chronic health conditions reported improvements in fatigue, pain, and sleep.<\/p>\n Patients with anxiety, depression, insomnia, or chronic pain<\/a> diagnoses also showed improvements in condition-specific symptoms over 12 months. Patients treated for generalized anxiety, chronic pain, insomnia, and PTSD all showed improvements in HRQL.<\/p>\n Participants with movement disorders<\/a> had improved HRQL but no significant improvements in upper extremity function scores.<\/p>\n The study was large enough to assess patients across a wide range of chronic conditions and socio-demographics in a real-world setting. However, without a control group<\/a>, it was not possible to confidently attribute changes over time to medicinal cannabis.<\/p>\n Despite this limitation, the results suggest that prescribing medicinal cannabis to patients with chronic health conditions may improve pain, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and depression and overall HRQL.<\/p>\n The findings also suggest that any improvements would be apparent quickly and maintained long-term. According to the authors, the results from this study contribute to the emerging evidence base to inform decision-making both in clinical practice and at the policy level.<\/p>\n The authors add, “This is promising news for patients who are not responding to conventional medicines for these conditions.”<\/p>\n More information:<\/strong> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProvided by \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \n Citation<\/strong>: \n This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
\n Tait M-A, et al. Improvements in health-related quality of life are maintained long-term in patients prescribed medicinal cannabis in Australia: The QUEST Initiative 12-month follow-up observational study, PLOS One (2025). DOI: 10.1371\/journal.pone.0320756<\/a><\/p>\n
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\n Medicinal cannabis linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life (2025, April 2)
\n retrieved 4 April 2025
\n from https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/news\/2025-04-medicinal-cannabis-linked-term-benefits.html\n <\/p>\n
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