The French experiment already brings together 1,000 patients out of the 3,000 expected

Seven months after its start, experimentation with cannabis for medical use now has a thousand patients in France, supported by 1,000 health professionals, the Medicines Agency indicates on Monday. Since the end of March 2021, the use of medical cannabis has been authorized in France as part of this two-year experiment, which will ultimately involve 3,000 patients.

Voted by the National Assembly in 2019, it should serve as a full-scale clinical trial to assess the usefulness and effectiveness of these treatments, which include active ingredients derived from cannabis, in the form of an oil that is drunk or of cannabis flowers to inhale with specific devices. Patients are eligible if they suffer from serious illnesses, but only if there is insufficient relief or poor tolerance with existing treatments.

More caregivers required

Among the five indications retained in the framework of the experiment, the most represented in voluntary patients are “refractory neuropathic pain, painful spasticity (muscle stiffness) in multiple sclerosis and certain forms of drug-resistant epilepsy” , specifies the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) in a press release.

Of the 1,000 patients included, 779 are currently being followed, some having left the experiment due in particular to adverse effects or ineffectiveness, according to the ANSM. “The inclusion of 1,000 patients is a first step, other steps await us before reaching the final goal of generalization,” said Christelle Ratignier-Carbonneil, Director General of the ANSM, quoted in the press release.

At the same time, the Agency announced that it was modifying several modalities of the experiment in order to encourage more caregivers to participate. There are currently a thousand involved.