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If it’s appropriate, families can enroll their children in an observational research study. Families can also consider participating in pharmaceutical double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Other practical tips include standardizing the way neurologists care for children who use cannabinoids in their practice, and working in advance with hospital administrators and the inpatient pharmacy to address the use of these products for inpatients.
A 2014 Cochrane review concluded that “no reliable conclusions can be drawn at present regarding the efficacy of cannabinoids as a treatment for epilepsy,” Dr. Brooks-Kayal said. A systematic review by the American Academy of Neurology reached the same conclusion. The American Epilepsy Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Medical Association do not recommend routine clinical use of cannabinoids for seizures, but call for additional research. “We need better data,” Dr. Brooks-Kayal said.
—Kari Oakes