A randomized trial of medical cannabis in patients with stage IV cancers to assess feasibility, dose requirements, impact on pain and opioid use, safety, and overall patient satisfaction.

Purpose: The prevalence of medical cannabis (MC) use in patients with cancer is growing, but questions about safety, efficacy, and dosing remain. Conducting randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) using state-sponsored MC programs is novel and could provide data needed to guide patients and providers.

Methods: A pilot RCT of patients with stage IV cancer requiring opioids was conducted.

Impact of Medical Cannabis on Patient-Reported Symptoms for Patients With Cancer Enrolled in Minnesota's Medical Cannabis Program.

Purpose: Minnesota's medical cannabis program is unique, in that it routinely collects patient-reported scores on symptoms. This article focuses on changes in symptom severity reported by patients with cancer during their first 4 months of program participation.

Materials And Methods: Patients with cancer in Minnesota's medical cannabis program reported symptoms (anxiety, lack of appetite, depression, disturbed sleep, fatigue, nausea, pain, and vomiting) at their worst over the last 24 hours before each medical cannabis purchase.

A Comprehensive Review of Cannabis in Patients with Cancer: Availability in the USA, General Efficacy, and Safety.

Purpose Of Review: As the legalization of medical cannabis continues across the USA, oncology care providers will be increasingly asked to provide recommendations regarding its use in the cancer setting. In this article, we review recent literature that analyzes cannabis use specifically in patients with cancer and provide an accessible guide for clinicians, researchers, and patients.

Recent Findings: We aimed to answer questions about the availability of cannabis in the USA, the trials supporting its use in the cancer setting, and the important factors to consider related to safety.

Oncology Clinicians and the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program: A Survey on Medical Cannabis Practice Patterns, Barriers to Enrollment, and Educational Needs.

Medical cannabis has been available in the State of Minnesota since July 2015 through the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program (MMCP). Our study aimed to delineate oncology providers' views on medical cannabis, identify barriers to patient enrollment, and assess clinicians' interest in a clinical trial of medical cannabis in patients with stage IV cancer. From June to August 2017, we distributed a 14-question survey to Minnesota oncology physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants who care for adults and children with cancer.

Minnesota Pharmacists and Medical Cannabis: A Survey of Knowledge, Concerns, and Interest Prior to Program Launch.

Objectives: To assess Minnesota pharmacists' preparedness for the state's medical cannabis program in terms of professional competency in policies and regulations and in pharmacotherapy, as well as their concerns and perceptions about the impact on their practice. The secondary objective was to identify pharmacists' perceptions about ways to reduce potential gaps in knowledge.

Methods: A Web-based 14-item questionnaire was distributed to all pharmacists whose email addresses were registered with the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy.

Early Survey Results from the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program.

As part of its legislative mandate, the Minnesota Department of Health's Office of Medical Cannabis (OMC) is required to study and report on the state's medical cannabis program. This article describes preliminary findings from the OMC's research about who is using the program and whether patients and their certifying health care practitioners are noticing benefits and harms.

Insights from a Review of Medical Cannabis Clinical Trials.

The Minnesota Legislature passed a law establishing a medical cannabis program in 2014. One of the first tasks of staff in the new Office of Medical Cannabis at the Minnesota Department of Health was to review scientific literature on medical cannabis. The review was limited to studies involving products similar to those allowed in Minnesota.

Behavior modification after inactivation of cerebellar dentate nuclei.

Effort-based decision making occurs when subjects are given a choice between a reward available at a high response cost and a reward available at a low response cost and is altered in individuals with disorders such as autism or particular patterns of brain injury. The current study explored the relationship between effort-based decision making and reinforcement characteristics in the T maze. This was done using both normal animals and animals with bilateral inactivation of the cerebellar dentate nuclei.

Adopting an electronic health record. Keys to success.

Stratis Health, through its capacity as Minnesota's Medicare Quality Improvement Organization, is working to promote successful implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) in primary care clinics in the state. This article focuses on lessons learned while helping primary care clinics adopt EHRs. It also includes observations on the current status of EHR adoption in Minnesota clinics.