Clinical Takeaway
Cannabinoids have been studied across a wide range of pediatric medical conditions, with the current evidence base drawing from hundreds of studies including both interventional trials and real-world observational data. The research landscape is actively evolving, which is why a living systematic review format was chosen to keep findings current as new data emerge. Parents and clinicians should understand that evidence quality and safety profiles vary considerably depending on the specific condition being treated and the type of cannabinoid used.
#2 Cannabinoids for Medical Purposes in Children: A Living Systematic Review.
Citation: Chhabra Manik et al.. Cannabinoids for Medical Purposes in Children: A Living Systematic Review.. Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992). 2025. PMID: 40437694.
Design: 5 Journal: 0 N: 2 Recency: 2 Pop: 3 Human: 1 Risk: 0
This living systematic review provides clinicians with a continuously updated evidence base for cannabinoid safety and efficacy in pediatric populations, addressing a critical gap given the growing clinical interest in cannabinoids for conditions like intractable epilepsy and chemotherapy-induced nausea. The systematic synthesis of safety data across multiple databases is particularly important given the limited pediatric pharmacovigilance data available for cannabinoid formulations, which is essential for informed clinical decision-making in vulnerable populations.
Methodological Considerations:
- Small sample — underpowered for subgroup analysis
Abstract: AIM: We developed a living systematic review (LSR) that will continuously map the safety and reported benefit data related to cannabinoid use for medical purposes in children. METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to April 2023. Studies involving at least one child 20% studies) in studies enrolling children were somnolence, diarrhoea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. CONCLUSION: These findings will continue to be updated to inform practice and reveal knowledge gaps for future research.
💊 This living systematic review provides a valuable framework for tracking cannabinoid safety and efficacy in pediatric populations, though the field remains hampered by significant methodological limitations including small sample sizes, heterogeneous outcome measures, and publication bias favoring positive results. The authors’ decision to employ a continuously updated approach is pragmatic given the rapidly evolving landscape of cannabis research and changing regulatory environments, yet clinicians should recognize that most existing pediatric data comes from uncontrolled observational studies or case series rather than rigorous randomized trials. Key confounders including variable cannabinoid ratios, route of administration, dosing regimens, and concurrent medications make it difficult to draw firm conclusions about specific clinical applications. Until higher-quality evidence emerges, practitioners should reserve cannabinoid consideration for carefully selected pediatric patients with severe, treatment-resistant conditions such as intractable epilepsy where some mechanistic plausibility exists, while maintaining transparent conversations with families about the substantial evidence gaps and implementing robust safety monitoring protocols.