At Curaleaf Clinic, we are dedicated to providing the best possible care for our patients. This is why we set up the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. The registry collects real-world data from patients prescribed medical cannabis. This data offers valuable insights, helping us to refine the care we deliver and improve our understanding of how medical cannabis works for various conditions.
This blog post will explain what real-world data is, explore its role in shaping medical cannabis research, and highlight its importance to our work.
What is Real-World Data?
Real-world data is information collected from routine healthcare settings, rather than from strictly controlled laboratory trials. This data can come from several sources, including:
- Electronic health records (patient records)
- Patient registries (records of patient care and outcomes) Patient-reported data (information patients share about their experiences)
- Insurance claims data which are used to understand treatments and costs
When this anonymised data is carefully standardised, analysed and published, it becomes real-world evidence. Real-world evidence reflects how medical cannabis affects individuals in their everyday lives.
How Real World Evidence Helps Us Understand Medical Cannabis
Unlike clinical trials, which happen in highly controlled environments, real-world data reflects everyday experiences.
The UK Medical Cannabis Registry gathers data on patients’ symptoms, the cannabis-based medicines they use, and how their health changes over time. As the largest registry of its kind in Europe, it enables us to identify patterns, understand effects, and monitor any potential side effects. This information empowers our prescribers to make the most informed decisions for each patient.
Between 2020 and 2024, the T21 initiative (formerly Project TWENTY21) also gathered data on individuals with chronic conditions using medical cannabis. This project is no longer actively collecting data.
The Challenges and Progress in Medical Cannabis Research
There is still much to learn about the potential benefits of medical cannabis for long-term health issues. Researchers are working diligently to expand our knowledge in this area. High-quality clinical studies are essential to improve patient access to medical cannabis as a treatment option. However, conducting these studies can be challenging. One of the main obstacles is the high cost of clinical trials, which require significant investment and support from both government and private sectors. Researchers also need specialised licenses, which can be time-consuming and add to the expense. Furthermore, clinical trials require a consistent cannabis product, meaning each dose and product must be identical. This consistency is crucial for reliable results but can be difficult to achieve with a plant-based medicine, as its composition can be influenced by even minor environmental changes.
While clinical trials are awaited, real-world evidence plays a vital role in educating prescribers, healthcare professionals, and the public about medical cannabis and its potential effects.
Why Real-World Evidence Matters
Real-world evidence helps Curaleaf Clinic develop a clearer picture of how medical cannabis works, not only in controlled trials but also in real-world settings. This type of data can:
- Inform the design of future clinical trials by highlighting conditions and medications which are most worth exploring
- Contribute to the development of national treatment guidelines
- Help to make future treatments as safe and effective as possible
By combining insights from clinical trials with real-world data, we are working towards a more personalised and informed approach to medical cannabis care.
Conclusion
At Curaleaf Clinic, we’re passionate about advancing medical cannabis research to benefit patients like you.
You can find more information about condition-specific patient outcomes in our published research.
Sources
Erridge, S., Sodergren, M. (2020). Real World Data & Patient Registries. [online] Substack.com. Available at: https://centreformedicinalcannabis.substack.com/p/real-world-data-and-patient-registries [Accessed 28 Jan. 2025].
