MS Research Portal

Website maintained by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada

MS Research Portal is a recent initiative from the MS Society of Canada’s Research and Programs & Services departments to highlight Canadian research studies that are seeking participants. These studies must be supported by the MS Society of Canada or other recognized funding agencies that have a formal committee review process. Studies or projects related to pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies, marketing research firms or other for-profit enterprises are not eligible to be posted on the MS Research Portal.

Studies

Study Title:	Cannabis Use in People With Multiple Sclerosis
Rationale:	Many patients have tried cannabis (particularly since it was legalized) for their symptoms of MS. Our goal is to determine the use of cannabis and the symptoms for which people are using it.
Study Description:	The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of cannabis use in people with MS, as well as its perceived efficacy in treating a variety of symptoms and attitudes toward its use. There has yet to be a study like this performed in Canada since recreational cannabis has been legalized. Given that cannabis likely has therapeutic promise in managing MS symptoms, it is important to learn what patient experiences have been up until now to determine an appropriate starting point for further research. The results of this study will provide a snapshot of the current usage patterns and perspectives on cannabis use in people with MS within a legal context, providing direction for further clinical research and development of therapeutic regimens with the potential to improve quality of life in MS patients by providing effective alternatives to traditional methods of symptom management. This study consists of a single cross-sectional questionnaire that will be made available to participants online and should take no longer than 15-20 minutes to complete. Subsequent statistical analyses will be conducted to characterize the sample population and evaluate the prevalence, perceived efficacy and negative effects, dosage, and commonly used forms of cannabis used by study participants. These parameters, as well as attitudes of different sub-populations of participants toward medical cannabis use, will also be analyzed to determine whether there are any significant differences between groups of participants.
Recruitment Dates:	2020-10-26 to 2020-12-31
Who can participate:	anyone with MS
Location of Trial:	Canada-Wide.
Contact Information:	https://redcap.link/CannabisMS
Trial Funding:	University Hospital Foundation