How effective are cannabis-based products for paediatric epilepsy?

Abstract

Epilepsy affects children’s development and quality of life and antiepileptic drugs are often ineffective for children with drug resistant epilepsy. Some evidence suggests that cannabis-based products may offer potential benefits for children with drug resistant epilepsy by reducing the frequency of seizures. Epidiolex is a cannabis-based product licenced for a small number of children in the UK but concerns about adverse events (AEs) limit its wider use. This opinion piece considers the effectiveness of cannabis-based products for paediatric drug-resistant epilepsy and the associated risks. Cannabis-based products may have detrimental long-term effects and there are concerns about the safety of certain derivatives. Consequently, while cannabis-based products may be effective for reducing seizures in paediatric epilepsy, a definitive answer about whether benefits outweigh risks remains unclear. This paper concludes that more research is needed to investigate the safety of cannabis-based products. Once a more definitive answer is established, evidence-based education and practice may improve the accessibility and availability of products and offer more families informed choices about treatments for epilepsy.