Introducing Commentary Series: “Evidence in Context”

Research along the spectrum from basic to translational science through clinical is represented within Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids, as the objective of this journal is to offer a platform by which scientific communities from disparate fields can exchange and advance cannabis science. The evidence base for medical cannabis and cannabinoids continues to evolve rapidly while researchers, healthcare providers, and patient communities remain in need of clear translation of study findings to future or current implications for clinical practice. In collaboration with the Consortium for Medical Marijuana Clinical Outcomes Research (Consortium), we are introducing a new recurring series, “Evidence in Context,” to address these needs for rapid distillation and appraisal in the form of brief, plain-language commentaries.

The Consortium was established in June 2019 by the State of Florida legislature to conduct, disseminate, and support research on the clinical effects of medical marijuana. Directed by a team at the University of Florida, the Consortium is composed of 9 public and private universities across the state of Florida. The Consortium aims to support medical marijuana research through 5 main pillars including a grants program, development of a data resource to study medical marijuana clinical outcomes (“MEMORY”), a clinical core aimed at building prospective research infrastructure, public outreach, and an evidence core. More information on the Consortium can be found out at mmjoutcomes.org.

The “Evidence in Context” series will be a venue where recent high-impact studies and emerging topics are critically appraised to clarify and explain implications for research and whether immediate or future changes in clinical practice recommendations are to be considered. Organized by the Consortium and in collaboration with journal editorial board members, the journal will release entries within this series on a bi-monthly basis, following selection of studies with emphasis on those studies with high probability of translation or novelty and significant implications for clinical practice. Future commentaries in the series will also more narrowly focus on appraisal and translation from single studies or a series of studies to keep readers up-to-date on the most recent evidence. The series will be supported by the two Consortium faculty leads (Brown and Goodin) who will develop the series with involvement from other researchers and clinicians in the field.

We hope that this series will assist in the contextualization of anecdotal evidence and media coverage of “hot topic” cannabis study findings and topics while serving as a resource for clinicians and patients who seek to answer that critical question that arises at the end of all research reports: What does this mean for me? We look forward to engaging in discussion with this community and contributing to the culture of rigorous, cutting-edge research on the clinical applications of cannabis and cannabinoids.

The first commentary of this series (see: Evidence in Context: High Risk of Bias in Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoid Clinical Trials Dictates the Need for Cautious Interpretation) sets the stage for appraisal of randomized controlled trials employing cannabis or cannabis-derived treatment interventions, in which significant risks of bias in trial design, conduct, and result reporting were identified and evaluated. As that commentary concludes, researchers must continue to make strides toward high-quality studies to clarify the benefits and risks of cannabis-derived therapies. This series will aim to provide translation of such studies along the spectrum of translational clinical research into clear, concise, and of appropriate, actionable evidence for clinicians and patients.