Palliative patients in regional areas are needed for a new medicinal cannabis trial that could help transform access to end-of-life care research.
More than 100 adult patients in rural and remote regional Queensland are wanted for the trial being run by Mater Health.
Mater director of palliative care Phillip Good said the trial utilised a telehealth platform to reach end-of-life patients outside major metropolitan areas, which had been difficult in previous trials.
Phillip Good says he’s looking for more than 100 palliative patients from across Queensland for the trial. (Supplied: Mater Health)
He has already enlisted about 40 of the 150 patients needed but is keen to find suitable candidates outside south-east Queensland.
The trial is investigating the effectiveness of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), where the medication is administered orally in liquid form.
“We [will] see if they improve overall, if they feel better, if their pain’s better or if their appetite’s better,” Professor Good said.
“This [tele-trials platform] would mean that patients across regional Queensland will be able to participate in this and future palliative care clinical trials.”
Welcomed for regional
A separate trial has also been opened to regional New South Wales adult palliative care patients.
PCA says the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis in palliative care is difficult to assess. (ABC News: Tony Hill )
Through the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and Innovation, the trial is recruiting up to 250 patients for a study investigating whether an oral tablet containing THC can improve anorexia-related symptoms for people receiving end-of-life care.
For both trials, patients can inquire and enrol through their palliative care specialist.
There have been fewer than 10 studies into medicinal cannabis in palliative care since Australia’s first trial almost a decade ago.
Palliative Care Australia (PCA) chair Meera Agar welcomed the research being made accessible to regional residents.
Meera Agar says regional residents can experience gaps in access to specialist palliative care. (Supplied: Palliative Care Australia)
“When people have more complex symptoms, the first challenge is how people would access specialist advice,” Professor Agar, who led Australia’s first medicinal cannabis trial, said.
Professor Agar said research on the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis in palliative care was difficult to assess.
“You need a very specific clinical question,” she said.
“The number of possible active ingredient ingredients are quite high, and to be able to deliver them in an effective dose, and also that we don’t get side effects, has been an area of increasing interest.”
