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UC San Diego Conducting First Clinical Trial For Cannabis as Migraine Treatment

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While there are many US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatments available for migraines, many people are already turning to cannabis as a form of alternative treatment. Now, Dr. Nathaniel Schuster and his team at the University of California San Diego are conducting the first-known randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to look at cannabis as an effective treatment for acute migraines.

“Many patients who suffer from migraines have experienced them for many years but have never discussed them with their physicians. They are, rather, self-treating with various treatments, such as cannabis,” said Schuster, pain management specialist and headache neurologist at UC San Diego Health and investigator at the UC San Diego Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research. “Right now, when patients ask us if cannabis works for migraines, we do not have evidence-based data to answer that question.”

As of May 19, 20 participants are enrolled in the clinical trial. The ultimate goal is to enroll 90 participants who will be randomized to treat four separate migraine attacks with four different treatments; one treatment will be tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one cannabidiol (CBD), one a combination of the two and a placebo. The products are all administered via a vaporizer.

“Vaporized cannabis may be more effective for those patients who have nausea or gastrointestinal issues with their migraines,” Schuster said. 

Only patients who experience migraines every month between age 21-65 and who do not regularly use cannabis or opioids are qualified for the clinical trial.

Allison Knigge is a current participant in the study and has tried several medications over the years, though none have been able to manage her migraines. She said there have been times that her migraines were a pain level six or higher for approximately 25 days of the month, but that she is proud to be part of the study.

“It could mean one more option when all other options have not worked,” Knigge said. “This is truly significant for patients whose lives are disrupted on a regular basis from migraines.”

Schuster said future studies would additionally include a comparison of varied doses of the various cannabinoids in the current study. It is being funded by the Migraine Research Foundation. 

If you want to learn more about the clinical trial and how to enroll, visit the trial page at UC San Diego Health Clinical Trials.