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Old Westbury, NY: Most US healthcare professionals say that they are unprepared to discuss the therapeutic use of cannabis with their patients, according to a review of studies published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
Investigators with the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine reviewed 41 studies assessing medical practitioners’ attitudes toward medical cannabis.
They found that most respondents perceive themselves to be inadequately prepared to counsel their patients on the issue.
“US physicians and medical trainees perceived significant knowledge barriers to recommending MC [medical cannabis] and counseling patients on its therapeutic use,” researchers reported. “Students, residents, and fellows remain minimally prepared on this topic, both on the pharmacological principles and the ability to provide guidance to patients who have questions.”
The study’s authors concluded: “Physicians expressed the need for postgraduate education on MC in different formats, including CME (webinars and conference presentations), along with clearer state clinical practice guidelines. … Effectively training current and future healthcare professionals on MC is a necessary step toward improving patient care and reducing potential stigma associated with medical versus recreational cannabinoid use.”
Full text of the study, “Physicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions about medical cannabis in the United States: A scoping review,” appears in Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
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