Looking for fibromyalgia patients for a new LUMC cannabis study

The Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) is looking for fibromyalgia patients who wish to participate in a new study into the effects of medicinal cannabis on the medication oxycodon. Patients may register through a special website of the Anaesthesiology Department. Lead researcher Professor Albert Dahan aims to demonstrate that medicinal cannabis in combination with the opiate product oxycodon may have added value in pain relief.

Bediol®

The study will use the cannabis product Bediol®, which contains cannabinoids THC (6.3%) and CBD (8% CBD). There will be three study groups – one group is only given oxycodon, a painkiller based on opium; the second Bediol® in combination with oxycodon; and the third group just Bediol®. The research is carried out by the Anaesthesiology Department and is partly financed by Bedrocan.

Co-medication with Bediol®

The main purpose of the study is to assess whether co-medication with Bediol® reduces the side effects of oxycodon in patients with chronic pain. The study will run for several years. According to the Professor it will be a complex study, because the patients may determine the dose they take. “We will give a maximum, but within that limit patients may determine what they use.” Furthermore, the study takes place in patients’ homes. They will be given a vaporiser that can be used to take the cannabis. “This set-up will definitely succeed, because our researcher will be in continuous contact with the patients.”

American Society of Anesthesiologist

Over the past year, Professor Albert Dahan received many reactions to an earlier study into the effect of medicinal cannabis on treating chronic pain in fibromyalgia. An article on this study appeared in the magazine PAIN at the end of 2018. Prof Dahan said “Recently I received a letter from a rheumatologist from Canada, who will use the results to set up guidelines for using cannabis as medication. That really impressed me.” At the annual conference of the American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA), where he was asked to speak, he received positive responses to his earlier study results.

“Even in a country like America, where a form of cannabis is legalised in most States, pain specialists do not know how to prescribe or dose medicinal cannabis. I know I cannot make any recommendations on the basis of this experimental study, but I can set them on their way.”

If you are interested in participating in the LUMC study, you can register with the online form on the Dutch website Samen tegen Pijn.

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