Clinical Takeaway
Systematic review evidence shows cannabinoids have been studied across a wide range of pediatric medical conditions, with data drawn from over 276 studies including clinical trials and observational reports. The evidence base is growing but remains mixed in quality, and safety profiles vary depending on the condition, cannabinoid type, and dosing approach 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 addresses a critical evidence gap by continuously synthesizing safety and efficacy data for cannabinoid use in pediatric populations, where clinical evidence remains sparse and clinical decision-making is often based on anecdotal reports or adult data extrapolation. As cannabinoid therapies gain regulatory approval and clinical adoption for pediatric indications such as treatment-resistant epilepsy, systematic surveillance of adverse events and therapeutic outcomes in children is essential for establishing evidence-based prescribing guidelines. The dynamic nature of this LSR enables clinicians to access updated evidence as new pediatric studies emerge, supporting informed decision-making in populations where the risk-benefit profile differs substantially from adults.
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 emerging evidence on pediatric cannabinoid use, yet clinicians should recognize several important limitations before applying these findings to practice. The review captures predominantly observational data and case reports rather than rigorous randomized trials, meaning reported benefits may reflect reporting bias, placebo effects, or unmeasured confounders rather than true pharmacological efficacy. Additionally, the heterogeneity of cannabinoid formulations, dosing regimens, and pediatric populations studied makes it difficult to draw generalizable conclusions about safety profiles or comparative effectiveness across different childhood conditions. Until higher-quality evidence emerges from well-designed pediatric RCTs with standardized outcome measures and long-term follow-up, the most prudent clinical approach remains restricting cannabinoid use in children to well-established indications like severe, refractory epilepsy, while maintaining careful documentation and informed consent discussions that honestly acknowledge current evidence gaps.
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