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 clinical trials and observational data. The strongest and most consistent findings support the use of pharmaceutical cannabinoids, particularly for treatment-resistant epilepsy. Parents and clinicians considering cannabinoid therapy for children should rely on formally studied preparations and work closely with a knowledgeable physician, as safety and efficacy data vary significantly by condition and formulation.
#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 addresses a critical evidence gap by systematically synthesizing safety and efficacy data on cannabinoid use in pediatric populations, where clinical evidence remains sparse and prescribing practices often outpace rigorous study. The continuous update mechanism ensures clinicians have access to emerging evidence as new trials are published, enabling more informed decision-making regarding cannabinoid therapy in children with treatment-resistant conditions. By cataloging both benefits and adverse events across pediatric indications, this review provides the evidence foundation necessary to establish appropriate clinical guidelines and safety protocols for an increasingly utilized but understudied therapeutic class 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 represents a necessary effort to synthesize the scattered evidence on pediatric cannabinoid use, yet practitioners should approach the emerging data with appropriate caution given the heterogeneity of study designs, populations, and outcome measures typically found in this literature. The review’s strength lies in its continuous updating mechanism, which acknowledges that cannabinoid research is evolving rapidly, but this also means firm conclusions remain elusive for most pediatric indications outside of severe, treatment-resistant epilepsy where evidence is most robust. Critical confounders include variable cannabinoid formulations and ratios, inconsistent dosing protocols, difficulty blinding participants, and the challenge of separating placebo effects from true pharmacological benefit in conditions like chronic pain or anxiety. Clinicians should view this synthesis as a foundation for informed discussions with families about the limited evidence base, the genuine unknown risks of cannabinoids during critical neurodevelopmental windows, and the importance of reserving use for compelling indications where conventional options have failed, while documenting outcomes