Clinical Takeaway
Cannabinoids have been studied across a range of pediatric medical conditions, with the current evidence base drawing from both interventional trials and observational data. The strongest and most consistent findings support the use of pharmaceutical cannabinoids, particularly CBD-based formulations, for certain treatment-resistant epilepsy syndromes in children. Safety monitoring and standardized reporting remain critical priorities as this living review continues to track emerging pediatric evidence.
#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 establishes the first continuously updated evidence synthesis on cannabinoid safety and efficacy in pediatric populations, addressing a critical knowledge gap as clinical use of these agents in children expands without robust comparative data. By systematically consolidating evidence from multiple databases through April 2023, the review provides clinicians with current, organized evidence to inform prescribing decisions for pediatric patients where cannabinoid therapy is being considered. The living format ensures this resource remains current as new pediatric cannabinoid research emerges, supporting evidence-based practice in an area where regulatory approval often outpaces clinical evidence generation.
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 compiling safety and efficacy data for pediatric cannabinoid use represents an important effort to systematize sparse evidence, yet several critical limitations warrant provider awareness before clinical application. The heterogeneity of cannabinoid formulations, dosing regimens, comparator conditions, and outcome measures across studies makes robust meta-analysis challenging, and publication bias toward positive outcomes in this emerging field remains a persistent concern. Evidence quality is generally modest, with most pediatric data concentrated in specific indications like refractory epilepsy and chemotherapy-related nausea, while data gaps are substantial for many other proposed uses. Providers should recognize that parental reports of benefit, while clinically meaningful, can diverge from controlled trial outcomes, and the long-term neurodevelopmental safety profile in children remains incompletely characterized. In practice, cannabinoid consideration for pediatric patients should be reserved for conditions with the strongest evidence base, involve shared decision-making that acknowledges current uncertainty, and ideally occur within settings permitting structured