New study to explore effects of CBD on fibromyalgia

An upcoming study will explore how CBD can improve quality of life in fibromyalgia patients.

Researchers at The Parker Institute in Denmark will investigate if CBD can improve pain, sleep, function and quality of life in patients living with fibromyalgia.

The CANNFIB trial will include 200 patients, who will receive either cannabidiol or placebo over a period of 24 weeks and will be closely monitored for improvements in their condition and for potential side-effects.

Fibromyalgia is a serious chronic pain condition, often accompanied by sleep disturbances, fatigue and reduced quality of life.

There is no cure and current medical treatments, including opioids, often come with a number of debilitating side-effects of their own.

Medical cannabis is commonly used among patients, and while there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence, there are still gaps in scientific research for its efficacy and safety.

A US survey published last month found an estimated one-third of patients with fibromyalgia were using CBD for symptom management.

Investigators at the University of Michigan Medical School surveyed over 2,700 patients, with 32 percent saying they were current consumers of CBD, generally reporting turning to the cannabinoid because they had experienced inadequate relief from conventional medications.

An Italian study, published in February 2020, followed 102 patients who had not responded well to conventional treatments.

These participants were given two forms of cannabis oil extracts and researchers collected data over a six-month period from patients, who self-reported fibromyalgia symptoms, how well they slept, and feelings of fatigue, as well as depression and anxiety levels.

Participants of the CANNFIB trial will be given a 10mg daily dose of CBD to start, this will be increased every third day until the maximum dosage of 50mg is reached.

They will remain on a 50mg daily dosage of CBD for 24 weeks.

The study will measure pain intensity, sleep quality and duration, activities of daily living and health-related quality of life, among other outcomes.

“Fibromyalgia is a serious chronic pain condition which is often accompanied by sleep disturbances, fatigue and disability and reduced quality of life,” wrote the study’s authors.

“There is no cure and treatments are based on relieving symptoms and maintaining function. The currently available medical treatments are not helping many patients, and many get side-effects.”

They added: “Medical cannabis is sought after among patients and many use this medication unlicensed, although it is not properly documented if it works or is safe. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the effects and safety of medical cannabis in a properly designed randomised trial.

“Participants will be closely looked after for improvements in their condition and for potential side-effects to ensure safety.”

Read more about the CANNFIB trial here