b"Medicine & ResearchDoctors NotesThe MS News column includes analysis from Ben Thrower, M.D., MS Focus senior medical advisor. He draws from the top news stories of the quarter and explains what the news means to you, the person with MS. Christine Willis, MLIS, AHIP, is the Clinical Information Librarian at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Egleston Hospital. Survey: Most Canadians with MS usingsymptoms always seems to be a topic of interest. cannabinoids for symptom management This Canadian study looked at how many ResearchersatUniversityof Albertainpeople with MS are using cannabis and what Canada sought to contribute to the currentlysymptoms they are using it for. As we learn limited evidence on cannabis use by peoplemore about the use of cannabinoids (one of with MS. Using the previous researchers workthe chemical classes, along with terpenes, in in Denmark, an anonymous questionnairecannabis that may have therapeutic effects) was distributed to prospective participants.it is vital that we start thinking of them as 344 individuals submitted a completedmedications. This means we need to look at questionnaire with the majority of them beingrisks and benets, quality control, and dosing female (79.9 percent), and the overall meanof cannabis. In my experience, many people age being 44.9 years. Relapsing-remitting MSwith MS that I work with are using cannabinoids (79.3percent),secondaryprogressiveMSbut really cannot tell me how many milligrams (10.5 percent), primary progressive MS or didof CBD or THC they are getting. This survey not know (10.2 percent) were reported byshows that the majority Canadians with MS respondents 64.5 percent reported havingwho participated have used or are still using usedmedicalcannabisatleastonce,andcannabinoids to manage a range of MS 52.3 percent reported still currently using it.symptoms. They point out that the majority Findings showed that respondents with moreare also getting their cannabis from a legal severe or progressive forms of MS were moresource. This is more challenging in the U.S., likely to have tried medical cannabis. Medicalwhere a patchwork of various state laws exists. cannabis was used most by current and formerAnother interesting nding from this survey users to treat sleep problems (84.2 percent), painwas that healthcare providers need to do a (80 percent), and spasticity (68.4 percent).better job of serving as an educational resource The most reported adverse effects from usingregarding cannabis for the MS community. medical cannabis were drowsiness (57.2 percent),Findings suggest ketogenic diet feeling quiet/subdued (48.8 percent), andbenets for MS difficulty concentrating (28.4 percent). ThisThe University of Virginia MS Clinic research was published in the journal Multipleconducted a phase 2 study to assess the Sclerosis and Related Disorders.tolerability of a ketogenic diet in patients with Dr. Thrower: Use of cannabis to manage MSrelapsing MS. Sixty-ve subjects were enrolled msfocusmagazine.org 56"